Professor Shockwave
by KtyouVsWriting
Summary: Shockwave pursued the Autobots into the collapsing space bridge, but ended up blinded. His fate should have been clear. What he found to be completely illogical was how he ended up on another world teeming with organic life, him being one of them; despite the irrationality of his situation, he adapted, joining the ranks of Beacon as a teacher of science. Primus, give him strength!
1. Shattered Moons Are Illogical

Chapter 1: Shattered Moons are Illogical

 **Cybertron**

A wise bot once said that one can never truly elevate themselves until he had control of his emotions.

Shockwave believed this, though he took that to quite the extreme by emptying himself of emotion as best as he could. He could perform his work for the Decepticons with the maximum efficiency possible for him. Never did ever want to be hampered by the shortcomings that the likes of Starscream possessed.

However, the scientist did have to admit that the second in-command of the Decepticons had his good points in spite of his apparent cowardice and emotional instability.

But regardless of his good or bad points, the seeker would have to account for his failure once Shockwave disposed of the Autobots that had dared to sabotage the only work space bridge on Cybertron in eons. Did they not see that to destroy this technology would be most illogical?

No matter. He would destroy them, and use their remains as spare parts.

He fired his Hyperflux cannon at the pair of fleeing Autobots. They would not get away so easily and he would make sure that they were put down so that they could never again cause any more trouble for the Decepticon forces.

It was only logical.

He fired again, and their attention was focused on him as they fired their weapons in the hope of downing him. If he cared to respond emotionally, he might laugh at their fruitless efforts. Their blasters wouldn't penetrate his armor.

Shockwave unleashed another blast, this time downing both of them. The one called Arcee rose again to meet him. Her choice was illogical for her, but logical for him. One good shot and she would be destroyed for good.

Taking perfect aim, he fired again.

Only to see her narrowly dodge his shot and respond with her own. Before he could evade himself, he found himself struck right in the single optic he had.

He growled in pain, but also in anger. How could he have not predicted that? It was only a matter of time before the Autobots would exploit his weaknesses. Ignoring his hampered sight, he continued to fire at the fleeing pair, even knowing that he could not guarantee his shots would actually hit them.

Now they had added Tox-En to his wounds, something he wasn't going to take lightly.

Judging from the sounds, they were long gone, and by that conclusion, it was time for him to retreat.

His wound catching up to him, he began to collapse in more pain. There might be a slight chance that he would not survive.

It was regrettable.

The space bridge portal began to feel unstable. Even without sight, Shockwave knew the bridge was on the verge of collapse. If he didn't end up on the planet where the Autobots were going, he would return to Cybertron, back to Kaon most likely.

Either outcome had its ups and downs.

Shockwave suddenly lost his footing and he found himself tumbling through a seemingly never-ending spiral. The space bridge must be more unstable than he had originally thought. He would have to work on fixing these problems.

That is, if he lived long enough to rectify the errors in the technology.

His consciousness faded.

This was illogical.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Shockwave awoke.

Consciousness, however, did not treat him well from the get-go. Rising from his place on the ground, he took the time to observe his surroundings.

All around him, his scanners picked up massive amounts of… organic life. All of the life forms that surrounded him were not Cybertronian in nature at all. They were all different, composed entirely of a different basis. He could detect no form of cyber nucleic acid from any of the creatures.

These were all carbon-based life forms, not metal-based. It was strange to see these sort of life forms after having only seen them a few times in his entire life, and that was millions of years ago.

Standing to his full height, he realized immediately that something was wrong. He felt unusually shorter, as if he had lost height. In fact, his entire body felt entirely wrong, like he was in the wrong body.

He needed to assess himself immediately. Perhaps there was place where he could see his reflection. From there, a proper course of action would be determined and acted upon.

Shockwave took off in a run, once again noticing something out of the ordinary. Cybertronians were more than capable of feeling and processing things against their own metal skins. This feeling, however, was different from what he was use to.

He didn't have to wait long to find a source of reflection. He emerged from the forest to see a small pool of liquid. In his previous experiences, he had learned that this liquid was known as water, a sort of pool that could breed life.

From the reflection, he could see nothing but forest for as far as the optic could see. Staring down at his reflection, Shockwave wished that he hadn't.

His entire body was no longer robotic, but organic, save for a metallic left arm. His armor was gone, replaced only by simple attire to cover himself, mostly purple with some shades of black. He had one optic on the left side of his face, but the right side featured a single organic eye, red as his optic. There were two appendages sticking out from the sides of his head, presumably some sort of hearing mechanism for him see as they appeared mechanical as well and in the shape of his former head gear. His head was now covered in a strange fiber-like substance, and seemed to serve no purpose. This, like his outer appearance, was also purple.

Shockwave made sure that this figure before him was indeed himself by testing his reflexes, moving his arms, legs, body, and head. He even moved to touch the fibers on his head. It was him in the… he didn't really know what to call his new form.

It was some kind of skin.

Now that he had confirmed that he was indeed this… life form, he needed to find the nearest form of civilization.

Maybe once he discovered where he was, he could figure out further what to do. If he was permanently within this form, then he would have to adapt to a new life. If he could revert back to his original, he would do so as soon as possible.

"There must be someone on this planet that can assist me." Shockwave registered the voice as his own, though it wasn't robotic-sounding. "I must find someone to help me."

His mind made up, he began the long trek forward, taking note that he would have to find proper forms of nourishment to sustain himself. As of right now, he felt at his best, but a self-scan showed that he would require liquids and a form of sustenance to maintain his energy levels. That would require some research first.

Something he would not be doing until he first made sure he was in no more immediate danger.

As he ventured deeper into the forest, he began to see what else his new form provided him with. It would seem that he had not been fully transformed into an organic life form. He still had access to a communications device, though it had to be internal seeing as he saw nothing on his outer body that resembled such a device.

He could also use his previous scanner technology to assess any object he chose, something he intended to make full use of.

While initially dismayed at the seeming loss of his Hyperflux cannon, he discovered quickly that like other Cybertronians, his robotic arm housed his weapon. He had tested it out on a single tree to see its lethality, and was more than pleased that it still retained its power. His ammunition belt was gone, and he wondered what it was that powered the cannon now.

It certainly wasn't energon, because he could detect no readings of the live-giving substance. It had to be an external power source.

No, he dismissed that logic. If it were external, he would know.

So perhaps there was something inside of him powering it?

If so, what form of power could a mere organic provide to power his Hyperflux cannon?

He added this on his list of things to research.

The sky had begun to darken, and the sight set him on edge. It was said that when things were beginning to look grim, it was best to to air on the side of caution. He recalled his previous combat experience to remind himself of what to do.

Shockwave felt something else around him. It was… something heavy, something alien to him.

If this was the reason the atmosphere around him had changed, he intended to find out what it was. It would certainly make for an interesting discovery.

His footsteps moving slowly so as to minimize the noise he was making, he began to climb a mountain. Although he was no acrobat and certainly not the adventurous type, he was more than capable physically. The fact that he now possessed two hands simply hastened his climb up.

While climbing up another sub-cliff section, he was instantly alerted to the sound of a screech, not unlike the Predacons that he had cloned in his time during the Great War. That told him that he needed to be cautious. Any creature that could make such noise should be treated as a potential threat. Few creatures screamed with such a radius.

Shockwave gripped another stable point with his metallic hand, noting the sound that the metal made when scratching the rock. It was easy to grip the cliff with his metal hand. His organic hand found it more difficult. The soft skin was very sensitive to the jagged edges of the rock, though not enough to pierce the skin.

He made it to the top of the cliff in seven cycles. What greeted him was something that didn't make sense to him.

All around him were strange creatures not unlike Predacons and Insecticons. They possessed arms, legs, heads, and tails. Some stood on two legs and possessed two arms. Others were four-legged. They came in various sizes.

The only real features that they shared were colors: white and black with red eyes that glowed. It made them stand apart from the otherwise stark environment.

What were these life forms?

Shockwave brandished his Hyperflux Cannon and carefully advanced forward. Although he had no facts or evidence to know how to proceed logically, something in him was telling him to move with caution. Whatever these life forms were, they were out of place.

As if sensing his presence, many of them turned to look at him. He stared back, with not a trace of fear. If any other Decepticon were in his position, he had no doubt that they would be reeling back in anxiety or fear.

He was not any other Decepticon.

The black monstrosities, when they first laid eyes on him, regarded him like a stranger, but no hostile moves were made. It was a game to see who possessed a greater stare. If intimidation was the game that the black and white creatures were playing at, Shockwave wouldn't be affected.

By his own calculations, a cycle had passed, and still nothing had happened. Deciding that nothing would be accomplished by him standing there, Shockwave took a risk, one that could be measured as logical and illogical.

The response was immediate as red eyes watched him carefully. Step after step, he approached the clustered group.

It wasn't until he had taken ten eleven steps that a roar sounded again, this time sounding like an aggressive one.

One with four legs charged at him, intent on ending his life. Shockwave anticipated the charge and simply shifted his body to move out of the way before firing his weapon, burning a hole through the creature.

He only had a moment to stare at it as it fell to the ground, and then quickly disintegrated into a black mist.

It was illogical. No living thing would deteriorate that fast. Even organic matter didn't just disappear like that.

These things were not organic.

Shockwave quickly had to do away with his scientific questions as he prepared himself for battle. Although not at the level of Megatron in terms of combat prowess, he was still a formidable opponent in battle, and most of the time, if needed, he could overpower autobots with relative ease. After all, a war that lasted for centuries taught him more than a few tricks.

His battle instincts taking over again, he quickly dropped to the ground, allowing another to soar over him, and he moved his arm, took quick aim, and destroyed the black critter.

A third came at him. This time, wanting to test his strength, he used his metal arm to intercept a paw intended for his head. He only took a moment to process that his strength was superior to this specimen.

He grabbed the enemy and quickly slammed them into the ground before stomping on its head, shattering it.

The fourth, this one a creature with a far bulkier build and far larger than Shockwave himself, lumbered towards Shockwave, roaring a challenge. The former mech only remained where he was, content to let this one make the first move.

The creature swiped, and Shockwave got out of the way, and fired back. The shot took a chunk off of its side, but this only seemed to spur it on. It lunged forward, trying to take a bite out of him with its jaw.

A most illogical move.

Shockwave rolled away again, and fired his Hyperflux cannon, this time, his target on its back, where a collection of jagged spikes protruding from its back rested. The result was a shattered back defense and a more enraged monster.

He was wasting energy firing like this. A good shot to the head would destroy it for good, he surmised.

The behemoth tried for a final time to kill him; Shockwave smoothly allowed the appendage that tried to squash him to squash the ground that he once occupied, and then he blasted its head off.

The body was almost gone by the time it collapsed.

Shockwave stared at the ashes that remain on the ground, contemplating his brief but informative battle.

These things were mindless, processing only the most rudimentary of intelligence, enough to move, to fight back, and to act as a wild animal. Essentially, it was like the Combaticons combined as Bruticus: a single directive to destroy the enemy.

But who was the enemy here? Or was he not really the enemy in the eyes of these black beasts?

There were no other creatures here, but there were scattered collection of buildings, all of them abandoned and partially destroyed to some degree. Since no one likely claimed ownership of anything in this place, it would be a good idea to salvage any equipment that could help him.

Shockwave took his time, carefully surveying each building and scrounging around for anything that had potential use.

His first stop was a shop with a strange language. He couldn't make heads or tailpipes with it, but he would remember it. He would probably have to once he reached some civilization. More importantly, it was confirmed that there was civilization to be found.

The first thing that he saw that would prove useful was a worn buy fully functional backpack, black, with some more letters of the alien language attached to it.

Shockwave grabbed it and swung it over his shoulders, securing it snuggly in place and then continuing on. The next useful item was a small lighter with a decent amount of fuel left in the compartment. A third item that he found under a table was a combat blade, no longer than his own hand, but a test quickly proved that it was durable and lethal.

Once he had picked the location clean, he made his way out, but before he could, something caught his eye and optic.

It was an image, but not like ones that were on holograms, but one rendered on a physical surface. A closer look had him staring on in question. There were three figures there. One had a distinctly bulky features, one had a more curvaceous figure, and the third was a smaller version of the first one.

It didn't take long for Shockwave to piece together what he was looking at: a sire, a carrier, and their offspring.

It was then that his comms were picking up static, normally not a thing to be focused on, but static indicated that he was beginning to intercept channels.

He tapped a hand to the side of his head. "Is anyone reading my on this frequency? Respond immediately."

"I read you. Who is this?" A distinctly femme voice, authoritative as well. "How did you get this frequency?"

A better question was how was he able to understand this language and speak it? He knew that it certainly wasn't Cybertronian.

He recovered quickly.

"Is this frequency restricted?" Shockwave treaded very carefully, going with a truthful answer. "I found it by accident."

"Yes, and quite frankly, I should have you arrested." Whoever she was, she was displeased. "But right now, I've got more pressing concerns. I've been requesting help, but no one's answering."

"What do you need help with?" Shockwave ventured, knowing that he potentially could have something to gain. "I may be nearby."

"You are nearby." The voice deadpanned. "I downgraded this frequency to short-range, no more than five-kilometers in all directions. If you can hear this, than you can help."

Now he was being volunteered. Shockwave disliked being commanded by anyone other than Megatron, but this situation was unique. He needed to adapt to survive, and that meant playing by someone else's rules.

"Understood." He said. "I will need a way to locate you."

"Look for a flare." The person on the other end replied. "Firing now."

Shockwave heard the sound of a dull explosion, so he moved outside to locate what he had heard; he looked into the sky, and saw a bright yellow glow in the sky. He tracked the trail of smoke left behind to triangulate its point of origin.

"I am moving." He reported. "I will be there shortly."

"Make it fast." The voice snapped. "Incoming Grimm. Suppressive fire!"

Grimm? What was that term? Who were they fighting?

Shockwave made his own final preparations before taking off as fast as he could. He felt himself running, and it didn't feel any different than in his Cybertronian body. This body, however, tired more quickly.

A flaw in organic bodies as he drew more breaths, a necessity to be certain. To require a specific atmosphere in order to survive made things… limited.

The sounds of gunfire unique to his audio receptors, for lack of a better term, were getting closer, and there were lot of them.

Were the enemies that numerous, or were they expended ammo trying to fight a few foes? Or maybe they were simply wasting ammunition?

If these people were a military of some sort, than they would be easy to deal with. Shockwave was a high-ranking officer in the Decepticon army, and a valued asset right alongside Soundwave and Starscream.

A bright flash caught his attention, and he carefully weaved through the thick of plant growth.

From his viewpoint, he watched as a multitude of figures cut down those black beasts. One was femme, dressed in attire of all white, as was her hair. The two blades she carried were thin, but still deadly enough to kill.

Flanking her were several figures. At first, they appeared too robotic in nature to be anything living, and upon closer inspection, Shockwave could see that these were indeed some form of mechs, though as to how intelligent or advanced they were he wouldn't be able to tell from watching.

Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he fired, taking down one of the smaller ones, and he continued to rain shots down upon the mutual enemy.

It wasn't until they were cleared out that he even gave his new query a glance.

"You must be our help." The femme held her blade, but not in a hostile manner. "I expected someone… much older."

Why would that matter to this femme?

"That is inconsequential." Shockwave reverted his weapon back into a hand. "What's the current situation?"

"Firstly," she crossed her arms, clearly trying to assess him, "I need to know how you can help us."

She acted like that he was incapable of doing things, and even with the vast control of his emotions, it irked him when he was treated like this. Starscream had done this on more than one occasion.

He wanted to be agitated, but seeing as he didn't know this being, and knowing that he was in a delicate place, he ignored his pride.

"I am a scientist," Shockwave cooly responded, "If that means anything to you."

"What is your field?" She questioned, this time intrigued.

"Biotechnology and engineering." Shockwave decided to narrow to his most-used fields, although he knew a great deal more. "Which is more useful to you?"

"The latter." The femme replied immediately. "We took a hit while fighting off a Nevermore. Our ship has sustained damage. We were attempting to radio for help. We got you."

She motioned for him to follow, and he followed her, easily keeping pace with her, her robotic guards following her, no doubt watching him for any sign of him being a danger.

Her entire posture, the way she moved, it was definitely military-like, and she seemed to be reluctant to be sharing information. Classified information was knowledge that the Decepticon scientist was privy to. Now to have that taken away from him, it certainly changed his perspective.

When he first laid eyes on the ship, he could see the problem immediately. For starters, some large object was embedded into its side. For another, smoke was pouring out of the engines on the sides. The overall design suggested a craft clearly of military design. It was shaped in a way that no civilian craft would be made. Even if it wasn't a Cybertronian craft, he could see what this craft was meant for.

Shockwave's initial calculations put this vessel as 39% compromised, which mean significant damage, but not enough to permanently ground the ship.

"I will need to inspect the inner damage to assess the full status of the craft," Shockwave conveyed, "But you will not require reinforcements."

"Understood. I will let the crew know and allow you access."

Without her guidance, Shockwave moved forward. He was greeted by another soldier, this one armed with a rifle, and some armor. He seemed a bit intimidated by his presence, and that was not a new thing.

"Show me to the main engine compartment." Shockwave requested.

"This way." The male soldier led the way.

When they arrived at the engine room, Shockwave found it to be in disarray. Parts were scattered, both old and new. It looks like someone here had tried to begin fixing it, but then didn't finish.

"As far as I can tell," the soldier said, "The dust tanks leaked just enough dust to superheat the engine, causing the thing to shut down for cool-off."

"Leading the ship to falling." Shockwave concluded. "And the hull integrity?"

"Fine for the most part." The man commented. "But I'm more worried about the wiring and the other internal components."

"Understandable." Shockwave did a moment of thinking. "What were you hoping to accomplish?"

"I was checking for obvious damage, but that's about all I can do." A sigh came from the soldier. "I don't have the tools or the expertise to diagnose thoroughly."

"I will see what I can do." Shockwave picked up a part. "What is your name so that I can call you for help if need be?"

"The name's Hunter. I'll let you get back to work, mister…"

Hunter was asking for his name, and Shockwave wasn't sure what to tell him. He couldn't say his Cybertronian name without making himself look suspicious. He needed to get out of this question.

"I need to accomplish this task." The former mech explained. "Perhaps after I can converse."

"Alright." The organic shrugged his shoulders. "I'll be around."

Left in relative silence and solitude, Shockwave could now begin his work in earnest. The first thing he did, once alone, was access the ship's systems. He needed a better grasp on the language, and this ship was the best bet for obtaining a means to translate the lettering into something he could read.

However unlikely, it would seem that he still possessed a few functions of a Cybertronian, as he was able to immediately read and understand the system, and found it unsurprisingly easy to access. It was even more fortuitous that the ship possessed more than enough data for him to read the language.

Now equipped to read, he began to work on the ship systems. As Hunter had explained, the substance called dust had leaked out, and due to the nature of the dust used, a fire-based dust, some of the components suffered heat damage, and in an attempt to cool itself down, the engine system immediately shut down, thus forcing the landing. Judging by the fact that the ship wasn't buried in the ground, there was enough control to glide down safely, or some form of emergency landing was used.

Shockwave first priority was to find the leak, which was difficult considering that he was working with some simplistic tools, not at all suited for intensive repairs. He was having to resort to his own hands more and more to simply get into the innards after having thoroughly analyzing the assembly.

The leak, when he did find it, wasn't as severe as it was made to sound, but if this was enough to shut off the engines, then he needed to fix it. He needed some form of metal to patch up the breaches, or some sealant.

If he had access to his tools, he could easily make the repairs. That thought lasted moments as he went back to work. Thinking up "what if" scenarios and wishing for things to be convenient was illogical.

The present was all that mattered right now.

Deciding that it wouldn't harm the ship, Shockwave stripped away some non-critical metal plating with his strength and began to make incisions, cutting precisely-shaped pieces in order to cover the leaks and then used the torch to weld the metal, but careful not to disturb the dust contents within.

The patchwork for the tanks took approximately thirty cycles, a fast time given his lack of equipment.

The presence of one familiar... female didn't stop him from working, but he still tilted his head slightly in her direction and nodded.

"I see you're making progress." She said, her tone controlled, but still curious. "You seem to know exactly what you are doing."

"My entire life has revolved around this sort of work." Shockwave wasn't one for idle chatter, yet he could do so if he chose to. "It is second nature to me."

"I see." A slightly softer tone had entered her voice.

It would seem that she was more grateful than she cared to let on, something that he took note of.

"I may need another 60… " Shockwave stopped himself from saying the wrong unit of measurement. "Minutes."

"The damage is that extensive?" She asked.

"The damage is not as severe as it might seem," Shockwave began, "But in order to guarantee that the ship does not sustain further damage from simply doing it's intended purpose, I must be sure."

"Understood." She turned to leave. "By the way, I don't believe we've properly introduced each other."

For the first time in their brief conversation, Shockwave turned to face her. What took him slightly by surprise was when she reached out with a familiar gesture that all Cybertronians knew all too well.

A servo shake, or rather a handshake for these, what was the species name again, Humans, was it?

"My name is Winter Schnee." The woman appeared to have become less stiff, but she was still professional. "And you are?"

Shockwave only had moments to think of a name, and with only access to this ship's data, he was limited. So with that, he began to run a scenario through his systems to come up with a name.

So he quickly put together a name.

"I am Shael Watson." Shockwave spoke robotically, and took her hand.

"A pleasure." Winter responded, though she seemed… intrigued.

Shockwave also noted the way the shaking of hands was exactly like that on Cybertron. This might just be a coincidence, yet it didn't seem so.

No matter, it was a trivial observation.

"I should let you work." Winter turned and left without another word.

Shockwave returned to his current task; with the tank leaks sealed, there was less risk of components being damaged. These circuit boards had been tested, but they looked to be functional.

That was fortunate.

The only other real problem was now to wait for the engines to cool down. Of course, that would take time, considering all engine systems were shut down until temperatures lowered to more acceptable levels.

"It would appear I can only reassemble the engine and wait." Shockwave mumbled to himself. "Perhaps a software analysis and communications diagnostics would be a productive use of my time."

The reassembly of the engine took an additional 20 cycles, and he was checked on during that time. He informed Hunter of the situation and was given permission to access the ship systems for further recalibration.

At the front of the craft, Shockwave pulled up holographic screens and began to work his programming know-hows.

He had been so consumed in his work that he hadn't noticed that nightfall had begun to descend upon this world.

It was the first time that he gazed upon the sky, and it was for the first time that he noticed something truly new to him.

The moon that gave some light to the night was shattered.

 _Shattered moons are illogical,_ Shockwave thought.

* * *

 **This story was more for my own amusement more than anything else. Shockwave has always been one of my favorite Transformers character, though mostly because of the potential in his character. Despite being seemingly only logical, the mad scientist actually has the capacity for more than just rationality.**

 **I intend for this story to be a sort of humorous one that puts Shockwave into conflict with things that are illogical to him and seeing how he copes with them. I'm not particularly good with being funny, at least not intentionally, but I will do my best to make situations at least something entertaining.**

 **I'm not looking for a large following for this story, but feedback would be appreciated, especially with regards to Shockwave's characterization.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember:**

 _ **"Everything is funny, as long as it's happening to someone else."**_

 **Will Rogers**

 **I take my leave.**


	2. Escaping Winter Schnee is Logical

Chapter 2: Escaping Winter Schnee is Logical

 **Somewhere unknown to Shockwave…**

As night took full effect, the sound of a screen beeping all around filled the otherwise serene atmosphere.

Shockwave, while trying to break through radio interference, kept monitoring the engine status. He would say that some twenty minutes of time was needed before the engines were ready for use, and that was if the cooling process was miraculously sped up, though the scientist could find no logical factor that would do that.

Despite being able to work on communications, he knew that Soundwave was a far more adept in this field than he was. His position as the spy and communications chief of the Decepticon forces was a position well-earned and vital to the cause. Without him, the Decepticons might've fallen apart centuries ago.

He could sure use that expertise, and he could sure stop thinking about what he wanted to have, but did not possess at this time.

The reality was that he was here, stranded, partially converted into a new life form, though how much he knew not, and with no idea where he really was. To simplify, a really unfavorable predicament.

Nevertheless, as he tried to work on communications and the ship, Shockwave devoted some of his energy into his own personal body too. Even in his limited physical form, his mental processes seemed unchanged more or less. He appreciated this immensely; if he was unable to multitask or interpret knowledge at a brisk pace, then his work progress would be cut by Primus knew how many cycles, and lost efficiency on his part, was simply something he could not accept.

The purple-clad Decepticon stared at the screen in front of him, watching it carefully for any signs of strange readings or activity. So far, he couldn't see any problems in the communications hardware itself, which meant that either the software in the ship was malfunctioning or some other source was actively interfering with signals.

The latter was slowly becoming the more plausible in the former bot's opinion. Despite the primitive nature of the software, it was operating at it's peak point, with no lag, bugs, or other problems that he could detect.

He had surfed through the channels and hailed each one to see if there was someone, anyone listening.

Nobody answered, either unable to answer or not hearing him at all.

"Scrap." Shockwave cursed under his breath. "This is a wasteful endeavor."

"Nothing at all?" Winter Schnee stood over his shoulder. She had just walked into the cockpit.

"No one is responding." Shockwave reported to her. "The engines will require another seventeen minutes before flight is possible."

"And with the Grimm closing in, that could be trouble." The woman rubbed her temples. "How well can you fight?"

"Well enough to take down the beasts." Shockwave stated. "Though I am a scientist firstly, I am more than capable in combat."

"If you've been out here alone, then I suppose I can take your words seriously." Winter glanced out the window, at the moon. "I believe that with the Grimm soon to be gathering in numbers, we'll need your help."

"Acknowledged." Shockwave affirmed, pushing himself from the seat. "Where do you require me?"

"Here, guarding the ship." Winter informed him. "Should any Grimm break through our lines, you are our last line of defense."

The sound of a collective roar caught both their attention. The battle was about to begin, whether they were ready or not.

"Is that not too much trust to place in a mere stranger?" Shockwave couldn't help but voice his question. "Would it not be logical to be here yourself?"

"Now that I've seen your work, your value to the mission has just increased." Winter now said her piece. "We've no reinforcements and it's too far to the nearest village by foot. If we lose you… the mission could be lost too… as well as us."

Shockwave couldn't possibly miss how much this woman spoke of how important he was, especially when some hours ago, she had spoken to him like a potential hostile. Either she was hiding her disliking of him or her desperation had reached a zenith. A third, albeit less likely possibility was that she had gotten past her initial reaction and had formed a different opinion about him.

She was calm and reserved, sure, but she wasn't emotionless, and thus, Shockwave concluded that she was merely putting on a display in order to survive, a choice that was both logical and illogical.

That was quite a switch from the usual choices that were either logical or illogical.

The former Cybertronian merely nodded his head, not intending to pry further, only accepting what she chose to give him. His compliance had earned him a place of influence, something he intended to use to its fullest.

"I… understand." A moment of hesitation followed as Shockwave came up with a response.

"If we survive this and return to Atlas, then we'll talk later." Winter offered to him with a gesture of her hand. "My superior, General Ironwood will want to speak with you."

A superior officer for him to talk to. That made the gears in Shockwave's mind turn a bit. Meeting someone like a leader within the military was not only an opportune time, but also a dangerous one.

If said leader was anything like Megatron, then getting on his or her good side would be anything but easy. That might be enough to dissuade any normal bot.

Shockwave didn't deal in easy things, and he most certainly wasn't to be called a part of the norm.

Left alone once again, Shockwave decided to check the engine status once more to see how much more time was needed. He had done so already six times since his last update with Winter. His ability to read these systems quickly and adapt to the primitive technology left him with quite some time on his servos.

Sixteen more minutes were needed. Shockwave wasn't concerned about his odds against the Grimm, but the way Winter spoke of them had him wondering. Were the Grimm truly that much of a threat?

Just how widespread were the Grimm? Where did they come from? What other types existed? How did they come to be? How long did they exist? What was their purpose, and most important to Shockwave, who controlled them?

Those were all questions that would no doubt be answered all in good time, if he survived this little… detour.

Shockwave could hear the sounds of weapons discharging their dust rounds. Such a primitive form of firearm, using actual physical projectiles. Those sort of weapons had never really been deployed in mass numbers, as they were seen as nothing more than the weapon of a brute, with the exception of classified railgun plans, which never came to fruition.

Maybe that could be his next project, if he could gain access to resources.

The scientist decided to exit the ship and take a look around to make sure that there was nothing threatening the ship. He took one lap around the ship, finding no threats to put down. So he took his second lap, which took half a cycle once again. He soon fell into a rhythm of patrolling the ship, his guard up for the entire time. The only difference as he made each successive lap was the sounds of battle coming closer to him.

Shockwave saw a large rock come from the forest, and he shot it into fragments, the pieces falling at his feet. He didn't even look at his own handiwork as he readied his cannon to fire, but toning down its power so that only intended targets would actually be the victims of its power.

Watching Winter fight was something that had him in wonder. She fought with a thin blade, yet it was more than a simple blade. It projected dust energy, but not fire. It was ice, and in quite an effective way, freezing targets in place, making them easy targets for the drones.

However, interesting as that was, what his focus held onto most was the power that she displayed. It was a symbol of sorts, though he had no idea what it meant. What it did was provide her with a wide range of powers. It looked like she was summoning version of other creatures to fight the Grimm. Small birds, animals that he had never seen before, and one image of a Grimm itself, all of them white.

It was… impossible. What sort of power could do that? Certainly nothing in this world or Cybertron granted that sort of power.

Those thoughts lasted seconds and then he returned to his fighting mind, blasting any and all enemies that came too close to the ship.

He checked the status of the engines. Six more minutes remained.

He fired several shots in succession, each of them burning holes through the Grimm. Even before this, he had realized just how many surrounded them all. There had to be dozens, and quite possibly hundreds.

The engines wouldn't cool fast enough for them to escape.

Shockwave needed to force the engines to cool down, but he didn't have anything which to cool it down with.

Then he spotted Winter again, and as she unleashed another gush of ice dust, something came to mind.

"Miss Schnee." Shockwave called out to her. "I require your help with the ship."

She only hesitated a moment, looking between him and the Grimm horde. She then called upon multiple summoned creatures, then dashed over to him.

"Specialist Schnee would be better." She spoke to him. "But what do you need?"

"If we wait for the engines to cool down, we will not survive." Shockwave explained. "But I believe that if we apply ice dust carefully-"

"The engines will cool." Winter nodded her head in understanding. "What do I need to do?"

"Disperse the ice dust evenly throughout the ship systems." Shockwave made sure to make his words simple to understand. "Enough that the temperature is affected, but not the systems."

"Does that not risk the systems being non-operational?" Winter did bring up a good point. "A sudden drop in temperature could have the systems being physically damaged."

"Not if the systems are cooled a pace that can keep them intact while accelerating the cooling process." Shockwave attempted to explain further. "Even small changes in temperature can help us. Metal conducts heat quite well."

She seemed to accept this logic and nodded her head. "Very well. I will do my best, but because I'm not fighting outside, you will need to take my place."

"The system should notify you when the temperature is at an acceptable range." Shockwave informed her. "I will hold them off."

With a sense of urgency, but not panic, Shockwave returned to the outside world to see that Grimm numbers were swelling. It looked like for every fallen beast two more took its place. Most of the simple mechs remained standing as well as the Hunter human, but numbers were pushing them all back.

It was time to add his own metal to the mix.

Shockwave fired in rapid succession, each shot never missing. He chose his targets based on their danger levels. Those who appeared to be flanking either the ship, himself, or his allies, all of them were killed quickly. Most of these creatures seemed to know only to launch themselves into battle with reckless abandon, which made countering them all the more easier.

The scientist grabbed one by the throat and crushed it, then threw it at another before firing his cannon, burning a hole through both. His next move was to use the weight of his cannon to knock another to the side, then bringing the barrel down hard.

Shockwave wasn't using his most sophisticated battle moves, not that it was necessary given the sort of enemy that he was facing. He had faced down Autobot foot soldiers that employed far more superior battle tactics.

A moment passed, and Shockwave was able to get a reading on the battlefield. No, it wasn't looking good for any of them. Even if the possessed the more skill on their side, it ultimately would be for naught as number would eventually sap them of the energy to fight.

Perhaps now would be a good time to pray to Primus for salvation.

Not that the Cybertronian God would be able to help him.

"Winter." Shockwave keyed into his com channel. "What is the status of the engines?"

"The temperatures are in acceptable range." Winter's voice was mixed with static. "Powering up main turbines."

The sound of engines powering up was quite satisfactory to Shockwave's audio receptors. In truth, he had made a gamble when using Winter and her ability to control dust. He didn't have an in-depth knowledge of these systems, and he didn't really know the full properties of dust itself. It was risky, but one didn't achieve much when one wasn't willing to take risks, even risks that could result in the loss of life.

"Hunter." He called out to the man. "Retreat to the ship. We are preparing to take off."

"Got it!" The man shot his rifle a few more times before slowly making his way back, the drones following his lead. "And stay down!"

Shockwave heard something different, something that sounded akin to a loud screech, like something that a creature that flew. It didn't concern him more because he couldn't see anything. The threat, whatever it was, hadn't presented itself.

Shockwave continued to cover his fellow organic and his robotic guards as they fired away. The roar of the engines grew louder with each passing moment.

"Everyone aboard." Shockwave reported.

"Acknowledged." Winter took control of the ship. "Make sure no stragglers are latching onto us."

Shockwave stood at the lowered ramp, even as it began to closer. Grimm tried to get through, but with such a narrow pathway, destroying them was a simple task. The black dust blew away as the aircraft lifted off the ground

The moment the ramp fully closed, the purple-haired man took a moment to revel in the quiet moment. Solitude was, more often than not, one of his best friends if not his very best, even the the smallest slivers of it. The moment had him leaning his back against a nearby wall. He felt strangely exhausted, sapped of energy.

Had all of this taken so much out of him? Surely, even with his limitation, he would not be this hampered.

With so many questions and wonders about this new world he had found himself on, his list of things he needed to do was growing longer by the second.

His optic and organic eye gazed at his prosthetic hand. This part of him was the only physical reminder that he could see without a mirror that told himself not to forget that he had once been a different sort of lifeform.

He felt strangely nostalgic, something that unsettled him to a degree. He thought himself in greater control of his emotions than this. He had repeated to himself so many times how dwelling on the past was dangerous, leaving one blind to present and future going-ons.

It was time to put an end to this… unnecessary perpetual nonsense thinking.

"Are you… alright?" Hunter's voice came to Shockwave's attention, though it was not surprising. "You looked really intense there for a second."

"Apologies." Shockwave stood straight, removing any trace of his previous mood from every part of himself. "I was merely contemplating some things."

"I… understand." Hunter intoned, and looked at the ground. "Your aim is impeccable. I haven't seen someone that accurate in years."

"It comes with practice." Shockwave didn't feel the need to explain further. "You combative skills are… effective enough."

"I appreciate the praise, but I'm no huntsman." Hunter scoffed lightly. "They're the real warriors on Remnant."

"Right." Shockwave simply agreed, though he had no idea what he was agreeing to. "You both are military, yet this seems… atypical for a military mission."

"I'm not supposed to say anything about our mission." Hunter's immediate response. "It's classified, but you seem to be acquainted with military types."

"My work has had me working with their type." Shockwave tried to remain vague. "I would be very remiss in my observation if I could not recognize military personnel."

"And those others you worked with-" Hunter began.

"Classified." Shockwave shut down the topic. He would not be talking about top-secret Decepticon projects. "As you can understand."

"Yes." Hunter didn't seem disappointed. "But regardless, your help was most appreciated."

"And I thank you and Winter Schnee for allowing me on this ship." Shockwave acknowledged. "I lacked a map, and that could have had me wandering for days on end."

"Speaking of which, why were you in the wilds?" Hunter questioned. "I don't mean to sound suspicious, but our unintentional crash-landing wasn't too far off from your first communications with us."

Shockwave only took a microsecond to process these words, and the only idea that came to mind that was logical was that perhaps his insertion into this world had maybe caused some energy to run wild in the atmosphere. Space bridges required immense amounts of energon to power, and if not assembled and tested correctly, they could cause severe damage to anything and anyone in close proximity.

Trying to explain where he came from and what he truly and also trying to find someone who believed him would be next to impossible, and frankly, Shockwave wasn't going to give much thought to his chances.

If nobody believed him, then Cybertron would face no further dangers. He didn't know this world, and that unpredictable factor alone was more than ample reason to not reveal all that he knew about.

"I… honestly could not tell you why I am out within these wilds." Shockwave shrugged, a rarity with him, but he needed something to say. "One moment, I was doing research, the next, I black out."

"You mean someone kidnapped you?" Hunter puzzled over this. "For what reason?"

"To destroy my research." Shockwave could at least honestly answer that question. "And to make sure that it couldn't be replicated. They left me for dead just for extra measures."

"Could you describe who they are?" Hunter probed further. "Or is this something classified as well?"

"It is not important." Shockwave dismissed with a wave of his hands. "If I am believed dead, then I have less things to worry about."

The former bot decided that he was finished with talking. He was never good at it on Cybertron and he doubted he would be good at it now. He did, however, wish to disrespect one of the two who had assisted him in a time of need.

"I will be in the cockpit." His footsteps echoed against the walls. "If the ship experiences further complications, call to me swiftly."

Hopefully, that served well enough as words of assurance.

Shockwave made his way to the head of the ship, expecting Winter to be there seeing as at least one pilot needed to be front and center, unless she the ship was on auto-pilot mode.

The door to the cockpit opened, and as he predicted, the woman was there, her eyes concentrating on their pathway.

"Are we expecting any airborne Grimm?" Shockwave wondered, knowing that look on her face, one that was searching for a threat.

"Grimm could be anywhere." Winter spared only a sideways glance as she talked. "But none so far."

"I see."

"Now that you are here, there is another matter to discuss, one relating to your interference in our mission."

That subject was to be expected sooner or later.

"Are you going to arrest me and bring me before your superiors?" Shockwave knew military protocol well.

"As I have orders to follows and rules and regulations to uphold, yes." Winter stated firmly. "However, you may have saved our lives. For that, I won't be restraining you in any way."

So there was some modicum of trust.

"And when will this happen?" Shockwave asked.

"When we reach Atlas." Winter said as if he should know where they were going. "Which will be at least another fifteen hours assuming we experience no further delays."

"Understood." His robotic tone carried.

Shockwave crossed his arms and closed his eyes slightly, feeling like he needed to enter into recharge, or sleep, as these humans would call it. Thankfully, he had enough information to at least appear not quite as alien as his outer appearance would have him seem, but he was still woefully unprepared should he engage in an in-depth conversation.

It wasn't in his interest to engage and have many people to call friend, but like it or not, he needed to be culturally aware.

His survival might hinge on him blending in with his surroundings.

Add that to the list too.

For now though, some rest would clear his mind and allow him more mental productivity. If anyone were to talk to him now, he would simply tune them out.

Nap times were quite logical given his energy levels. Leaving himself exposed was illogical.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Shockwave awoke when someone tapped him lightly on the shoulder. A white glove momentarily came within his sight.

"Where are we?" Shockwave muttered lightly.

"We'vc arrived in the Kingdom of Mistral." Winter turned to leave the cockpit. "The ship will repaired by a crew. Meanwhile, Hunter and I will be seeking supplies."

"And what am I to do?" He ventured.

"Remain here." She ordered lightly. "Until we return. The journey from here will taken an additional three hours."

There it was, the unspoken truth of their relationship. He might've earned some form of trust, but like it or not, he was still an unknown to her, and thus, he couldn't be left to go free.

Shockwave waited for another few minutes. From his view at the cockpit, he could see that he was within a docking bay, and various crew as well as other personnel worked, no doubt assessing the damage.

Then he realized something. If they were in the heart of civilization, he could find more information, assuming that this planet possessed a digital network of some kind that he could directly interface with.

To his luck and relief, there was one. He was initially blocked and required a password to enter into the system, but all it took was a few hacking tricks and he was inside.

The information he was taking in, it was massive.

This planet, it was called Remnant. Currently, he was on the Continent called Anima, and as Winter had stated, he was within the Kingdom of Mistral, one of the four major kingdoms on this world. The others were Atlas, Vacuo, and Vale. He didn't require access to classified data and secret files in order to download and study a detailed map of Remnant.

The next thing he researched were the intelligent lifeforms. There were two species that dominated this world: Humans and Faunus. The former was quite racist towards the latter for a multitude of reasons, none of the logical in any sense. If anything, the Faunus should be the ones looking down on the Humans. The Faunus possessed traits that virtually no Humans had, and they displayed much diversity.

Shockwave took an interest in Humans and Faunus was because he wanted to know which one he was. Although it stated that Faunus had an animal trait, some were hidden while others were obvious. Blood tests could also confirm which species he was as well. He couldn't test himself due to the fact that his information database had no way to differentiate, not until he had analyzed a strain of Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA.

This world, it had a basis for life that didn't sound too unlike Cyber Nucleic Acid. Again, it was another similar thing that only further made the former bot wonder. Coincidences existed, he did believe so, but if there were too many similar things in this world compared to Cybertron, he might have to reevaluate his stance.

In any event, Shockwave research Atlas, the kingdom where Winter Schnee hailed, and immediately, some of the most popular searches that came to his attention were Atlas Academy, Atlas Military, and The Schnee Dust Company.

The Kingdom of Atlas hailed on the continent of Solitus, the northern-most continent on this world. It was known for harsh weather conditions for Humans and Faunus alike. Thus, it made logical sense that due to such an environment, Atlas possessed the greatest technological advances as well as the strongest military.

Then the term huntsman came up in his search, and that prompted an investigation by the Decepticon. What he found confounded him.

Huntsmen and huntresses were trained warriors meant to fight the Creatures of Grimm, and they were trained at four academies, one in each kingdom. Vale had Beacon Academy, Atlas had dubbed their school Atlas Academy, Mistral housed Haven Academy, and Vacuo was where Shade Academy was located.

Shockwave decided to specify his search parameters to see just what kind of power and skills that these warriors had.

What he saw evoked different reactions.

Huntsman and huntresses possessed weapons, both melee and ranged. From simple swords to the absurd and impractical scythes, simple pistol firearms to mini-guns. Spears to great swords.

Swords? Logical.

Scythe? Highly illogical and frankly, idiotic.

Spears? Difficult to wield, but still usable.

Great swords? Only practical to those who could use it.

Firearms? Mostly logical.

Those only scratched the surface.

Most of the videos that he found these displays came from what was called the Vytal Festival, a tournament that was hosted every two years.

Shockwave reigned in the information, and returned to his current situation. As important as this information was, the bottom was was this: from what he had read alone, Atlas was a nation that was strict and disciplined, which meant predictable. If he was detained in Atlas, there was a chance he wouldn't be allowed to leave.

His previous logic said that he was more than capable of talking his way out of his situation, but why talk out of it when he could cut out the problem entirely by taking control of his own fate?

He would not be detained like a common thug.

He needed to leave now, but he needed to know where he would go.

Also, he would need a source of income, lien, he believed it was called. A handheld scroll would also be integral.

He could get those things easily, but he first needed to look at the other kingdoms.

Atlas was already an absolute no-go.

Vacuo, to his displeasure, wasn't what he sought. It was a desert environment, not known for anything other than tough living and its people, who were hardy, stubborn, and sometimes a bit boneheaded. It wasn't an innovative place.

Mistral was known for culture, art, architecture, more civilian things. It's darker side features an underground black market, full of things ranging from illegal goods and services to hired guns. It was tempting at first, but Shockwave dismissed Mistral too. It was just the kind of place where someone gained fame, and he preferred to remain quiet, illusive.

Vale, the kingdom that seemed to have the least unique qualities out of all the kingdoms. It's survival was due to natural barriers protecting it. Other than the city of Vale itself along with a few other coastal cities, there was nothing special about it.

That was probably his best bet for now. He need to acquire more information before he made a serious power play. Vale would provide him the reticent he needed.

Now there was only one two things he had to worry about.

The crew outside and the cameras…

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Remind me why we're working on an Atlas military ship." Dwayne asked. "I mean, not to hate on Atlas, but isn't this something they should be doing themselves?"

"Ah, you know how it is." Gemma grunted, placing the crate in her hands on top of another. "Keep the peace with the guys who've got the badass military."

"Yeah, that's the official story." Dwayne nagged, shaking his head in the process. "Only an idiot believes that."

"You're really paranoid, you know that?" Gemma declared, wiping some sweat off of her forehead. "C'mon, there are better enemies to fight."

"Yeah, yeah, like the Grimm." Dwayne complained with a wave of his hands. "Tell it to someone who cares, like a huntsman."

"Or huntress." Gemma scolded her friend. "Don't make me remind you of that time you tried your luck."

"Of course you'd bring that up." The darker-skinned man grumbled. "How was I supposed to know that she was a huntress?"

"Have you ever seen a normal person carry a weapon like that?" Gemma drawled.

"I thought it was a… can we just drop it?" Dwayne didn't want to talk about the day that his pride was hurt. "We've got work to do."

"C'mon, if you're gonna flirt with a woman, at least try for one that won't kick your ass upon hearing a pickup attempt."

"Like who?" Dwayne murmured, walking away. "I've got no one."

"Are you really that dense?" Gemma seethed under her breath. "I'm right here!"

In spite of her best friend's behavior, she went to tail him when her scroll buzzed to life. She grabbed the small device and opened it to see who had messaged her.

She had gotten twenty messages in the past few minutes.

Wierd. She didn't recall getting these messages anytime a few minutes ago. Was it a bug? A glitch? Someone sending to the wrong person?

Someone passed her by, a flash of purple, but she paid no mind to them as she tried to see what the messages contained.

There were… symbols she had never seen in her life. They looked quiet tasteful and kind of exotic, but nothing struck a chord of familiarity.

She deleted the messages after only seconds of glancing. Whoever had sent them to her had the wrong number.

She was going to get back to work when she looked around and the lights began to dim all around, as if the power was being siphoned. Everyone seemed to take notice.

"What on Remnant-" She began to wonder.

"Hey, Gemma, what's with these glyphs you sent me?" The sound of Dwayne's voice came to her ears. "Are you trying to screw with me? It's working."

 _Sometimes, I wish that were the case._ Gemma wanted to smack whatever perverted voce said that.

Whoever had sent those symbols to her had ruined her day.

 _Screw them._

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Shockwave made sure that he could mask his presence using a software program. Because of his his highly advanced inner technologies, he wasn't willing to chance any sort of equipment that could track him.

He had initially come upon some guard drones, placed obviously at the head of the landing ramp to deter him from leaving. The easiest thing to do was hack them and play a loop within their cameras so that they saw only workers at the bottom of their vision.

His escape also hinged on everyone working on the ship not seeing him. In the momentary disorientation, he slipped out, his footsteps reduced to whispers. Now using his recently-downloaded map of the Kingdom of Mistral, he was now on his way to find an alternate transport to Vale.

Escaping Winter Schnee was logical.

But risky.

Then again, creating the Dinobots and the Combaticons was too.

* * *

 **I consider this chapter to be necessary, though boring. In order to actually get to the summary which the story describes, a few more things will need to happen.**

 **The response from the previous chapter was surprising to say the least, so for now, until I'm given a reason or that I run out of time, I will continue with this story.**

 **As I go along, don't hesitate to give me ideas and feedback. I'll try to get back as soon as I am able.**

 **Apologies for potential grammar issues. I will fix them as I see them.**

 **I hope you all had fun with this chapter, and remember:**

 _ **"Education must not simply teach work - it must teach life."**_

 **W. E. B. Du Bois**

 **Long live Primus!**


	3. Adapting is Logical

Chapter 3: Adapting is Logical

 **Planet of Remnant**

 **Kingdom of Mistral**

 **City of Windpath**

Shockwave had taken to the streets of Mistral following his escape from the docks. He found quite a treasure trove of things going on within the city.

Although Mistral's superfluous civilian culture was not to his liking or caring, he could understand where it would entrance others. There were so many things to discover, so many new things to learn, so many new things to experience. Cultural investigators on Cybertron would be more than willing to invest time into learning about the Kingdom of Mistral and all that it had to offer. They would probably be like sparklings feeding on red energon.

The art that surrounded him was in all things, be it the building architecture, the statues that line the streets, the clothing that people wore, both simple and complex, both elegant, or the music vendors that were sounding all around. All of it was an expression of art, an expression of the inner soul.

None of it mattered to him.

Shockwave was on a mission that his freedom depended on. He had no illusions to the fact that Winter Schnee would be on his tail the moment she discovered that he had left without warning. As far as she was concerned, he was a breach in military protocol, and was to be held in captivity until the threat he posed was neutralized.

He was not to be neutralized like a threat. He neutralized threats himself.

His best chance to evade her was to wait her out. Eventually, her mission would take precedence and she would be recalled back to Atlas. Dealing with a wanted "criminal" would be the least of her superior's problems. The military stopped for no one, not even a specialist's mission.

That is what his logic told him, but without any insightful information on General James Ironwood, he could not know for sure. The man's public image was spotless to say the least, and that only served to make the former Decepticon more wary. Anyone who claimed to be flawless was a liar, and not a good one at that. Every single being in the universe was flawed in some way, even Shockwave himself. Official public records might disagree with him, but civilians could be showered with lies easily.

That being said, flawed or not, Winter Schnee was a tenacious one, and he needed to find some way to change himself so that he looked different than what he looked like now. She had to have memorized his appearance by now.

So a clothing shop was probably the best place to start.

Shockwave was no thief by any measure; he did not possess the ability to pickpocket, not like some tricky Decepticons. He would have to work another angle in order to gather the necessary lien. It would do him no good if he gained infamy without any sort of socially-accepted qualities and accomplishments to go along with it.

The second thing to get was a scroll.

Even if he did not possess such a device, he was more than capable of accessing the worldwide network that Remnant used, and having briefly read about the kingdoms, he knew that there existed the rich, the poor, and everyone in-between, especially in Atlas and Mistral. A rich class meant that they had funds that he could appropriate and utilize for something far more productive than simple luxury and indulgence.

But even if he did take from the rich, he would need to be discrete about it. Taking large amounts would only arouse suspicion, which presented him with a much larger problem. Because the rich constituted only a fraction of the overall population on Remnant, he would not gain much funding for his needs and wants, not if he wanted to remain hidden.

So rather than take from just the rich, he expanded his pool and began to hack into the accounts of other classes of people. In his time on Cybertron, Shockwave had come up with numerous viruses that interacted with the virtual world. He just had to adapt one of his pre-existing virus programs.

He then proceeded to create a personal, anonymous collective account. Nobody short of a genius would be able to find it. He then watched as his fundings went from zero lien to a hundred to a thousand to ten thousand to a hundred a thousand.

Upon reaching a million, he stopped. For now, this would more than suffice. It would serve his basic needs as well as allow him to procure any additional equipment he might need for travel. Maybe he could even get a vehicle.

Essentials first.

Shockwave casually walked the streets, watching the people of Remnant. He knew he was different, and he could see this as many people reacted to his appearance. It seemed that the Humans were especially wary of him. The Faunus, on the other hand, seemed more curious and, to his eye and optic, friendlier.

Noting this, the former mech pondered on whether or not he was a Faunus and not a Human as he saw no visible Faunus features on himself. One didn't have to have visible animal characteristics to be a Faunus, so how was he to distinguish himself as Human or Faunus?

More importantly, if he really was seen as a Faunus, then his options were going to be limited in a great deal of things. Faunus were discriminated in this world plainly for being offbeat from Mankind. That would work against him.

Regardless, he had lien, but now he needed to find somewhere to spend them; before he could do so, he needed to find a way to to dispense the cash. He would stand out if he chose to electronically pay without a scroll. Besides, electronic payments left a larger trail that could be traced.

He believed the machine needed to do such a thing was called an Automated Teller Machine. Finding one in the city was not hard. He did not even have to actively use his map. He just stumbled upon one.

Before he could do what he needed to do, he took a good look around, trying to spot if there was any sort of surveillance. Any device that had to do with currency had to be monitored at all times so fraud and thievery could be detected. It was only logical.

He immediately found a video camera, and fortunately, he wasn't within visual sight of it yet. Not even his shadow was in its sight. Trying to remain unnoticed, he mentally tapped into the camera, then made it play a loop. It would last five minutes, but he only needed two minutes at most to get what he needed.

He grabbed only the lien he would need to purchase some new clothing as well as a new scroll. From there, he would be able to interact with technology without having to resort to hacking or tampering. The more he did those two, the greater the chances of his detection.

His attire right now was basic, and if not for his outstanding physical features, he might actually be normal and blend right in. Alas, fortune did not favor him in this instance.

Ignoring anyone that stared at him, Shockwave eventually found what he was seeking. It to be a simple store, small in size, and stark in its inventory.

There was nobody overlooking the store, but the sign did say that this place was open. The quiet was still appreciated nonetheless as he went through isle by isle.

As he moved through the store, it began to dawn on Shockwave just how lacking he was in the knowledge of fashion. He had merely planned to grab clothing, though he assumed it would be a straightforward thing, and so he gave little thought to details. Now, being presented with choices and with so many items for sale, he began to question what would be appropriate for him. This place had quite a selection, and it was not even a mainstream store either.

The logical thing to do was to search online for current fashion trends; understanding what was considered to be the norm would allow him to blend in, but then an idea occurred to him. To be normal was to make his chances lesser. Normality, in the most simple of terms, meant neither promising or disappointing.

He wanted to remain unnoticed, but sooner or later, he was going to have to interact with society, and he would need resources in order to assess whether or not he was permanently synthetic or not, and if Cybertron was truly lost to him. To do those things, he needed resources, and to do that, he needed connections, and to get those, he needed to work his way up the social ladder, so to speak. He could choose to go out on his own without allies and remain undetected or he could reach out and gain greater knowledge, resources, and maybe power, but at the expense of losing privacy.

Perhaps there was a way he could do both, remain quiet all the while gain access to what he wanted and needed. As many millennia in the numerous fields of science had taught him, true accomplishments were never easy.

"Can I help you?" Someone's voice registered in his audio receptors.

Shockwave, or Shael, as he remembered calling himself, turned to look at who had spoken to him.

It was a woman, or more specifically, a female human. Maturity-wise, she appeared a young adult, twenty-five Remnant years or so. Her eyes were a dark brown, which contrasted her bright blonde hair. She stood about half a head than he did.

When he turned to her, Shockwave looks her up and down. Her physical stature suggested that she was not particularly strong, but that was based on her physical proportions alone. If she was a huntress, then her strength could be magnitudes stronger than himself. Of course, that was just a "what if" scenario.

Also, the fact that there was no trace of fear in her eyes, only curiosity and a tint of wonder, made him believe that she was not quite what she seemed at at glance.

"I was searching for something new to wear, but I honestly have no idea where to begin." Shockwave outwardly relaxed his posture to appear as non-threatening as possible. "Do you work here?"

She stared at him for a while longer, and then she cleared her throat. "Yeah, I work here, I also own the place too. So anyways, you do not have any sort of idea where to start?"

"None at all." Shockwave admitted, albeit with some effort. "I feel as if I am stumbling around blind."

"Hmm." She looked him up and down. "I think I have just the thing that will suit you. Come with me."

He followed her to another section of the store, one filled with more… stylistic costumes, not the sort of outfits that Shockwave viewed as functional and utilitarian, but visuals could have an affect, he reasoned. Sometimes, a visual appearance could win a battle before it even came to blows. Megatron, on more than one occasion, had used visual fear as a tactic against the Autobots, and visually, the Decepticon leader did not disappoint.

Shockwave watched as the woman began to sort various outfits hanging on coat hangers. There were so many, each with differing colors, designs, details, and much more. The variety was actually quite staggering. Why these designs weren't placed out in front befuddled him. Surely most people would come here if it was visually appealing.

"Here." Her voice caught his attention again. "This one looks good."

It was purple-colored, just like his old scheme, with some black and grey trimmings that dotted the entire coat. There was two kite-shaped tails that almost touched the ground. A single zipper lined the front along with buttons, all of which ended at an adjustable collar that could probably cover the entire neck. The sleeves were purple with black and grey stripes going down the entire length to the cuffs.

"Are you… certain about this?" Shockwave questioned without hesitation, having an opinion already. "This hardly seems… appropriate."

"Trust me when I say this." Her voice spoke with confidence and assurance. "You'll look grand in this. You'll be able to make quite a dramatic entrance in this."

"Dramatic entrance?" He tilted his head slightly to the left. "Why would I want that?"  
"Because you're a huntsman." She looked at him like the answer should have be clear as water. "Why else?"

"Of course." He felt slight offense, though far from enough to warrant an emotional response.

"Also, put these on." She handed him a pair of heavy boots as well as a pair of pants. "This should be everything."

"Where would there be a…" Shockwave searched for the term he was looking for, "… a changing room."

"Right over there." She pointed a finger. "Take all the time you need."

With a nod, he moved to where she had pointed out, closing the door, but not using the lock.

This part, he felt dubious about. As a bot of science, he should look at this as another learning opportunity. He knew everything there was to know about Cybertronian biology; he knew how to fix all injuries, and he knew how to kill with minimal effort. This was another learning opportunity, or so he told himself.

With some tentativeness, he carefully removed his plain shirt , feel the sensation of the air against his skin. A nearby mirror afforded him a view at his upper body, and his eyes narrowed in thought. His build was somewhat akin to his physical proportions. Compared to the average person, his entire physical proportions and likely his own attributes were superior. He seemed to possess no fat or otherwise unwanted or unneeded mass.

Well, almost.

The only new addition that he was dismayed to have was… genitalia. He recalled that Humans and Faunus recreated more of their own kind via sexual reproduction, and while the concept wasn't alien, Shockwave never considered that he would ever know it fully. It also signified another weakness he needed to learn how to guard. Fortunately, despite his transformation, his mind remained sharp and he was not distracted by the opposite gender as much as other males seemed to be, if his sources could be trusted.

Shockwave cataloged his musings as he swapped clothing, making sure to stuff these clothes into his backpack along with his scavenged goods.

This coat had a lot of pockets, some obvious, but most hidden, no doubt something that would allow him to conceal different devices and weapons.

That was just the sort of function that a huntsman or a huntress would require.

The coat looked much heavier than he expected, enough so that his overall body movement and coordination would be altered. He could adjust with time and training, things he could do.

The pants fit him fine with a bit of slack, and his boots were the same.

Even though it was merely a change of look, Shockwave couldn't help but look at himself and see how much different he looked now. No longer dressed in casual clothes and looking more akin to a professional-looking man, his presence commanded respect and perhaps intimidation. The coat did nothing to hide his features, more like accentuated them.

Checking that his cuffs were snug in place as well as his collar, he exited the changing room and was greeted to the woman who was waiting outside for him.

"Well don't you look like a fine gentleman." She smiled and cooed. "That suits you perfectly."

She circled around him, taking the time to examine him from head to toe, and the once-Cybertronian.

"Yes, this will work nicely." She finished her fifth lap around him, then faced him. "This is your look. I can't imagine anything else."

This one, she had a knack for detail, he had to concede. While he still wasn't in full agreement with its design, he would still live. He just had to be a bit illogical, if that could be called logical.

"Thank you." Shockwave felt gratitude was called for. "I believe this will do just fine. How much would you like for it?"

"Well, considering that one's been hanging on my racks for quite some time," She said, putting a finger, "And considering that I'm in a good mood, I'll give it to you for… 400 lien."

All he did was count up the lien and hand it to her, and she took swiftly, and didn't even bother to count it.  
"Alright, just let me get you a receipt." She rushed to a nearby register. "Anything else you want?"

Did he want anything else? Normally, he would be satisfied with this, but clothing was not a product bought once and then never again.

"Do you do customizable outfits?" The picture of the Decepticon insignia came to mind. He want another outfit with this on it. "I might just come back for more."

"Sure thing," she grinned, "Just give me a call and I'll get you hooked up. Here's my card."

She handed him a small rectangular card with information, and he took it, but didn't read it, simply placing it in a pocket.

"Alright, that just about does it." She gave him a receipt. "Thanks for coming in… sorry I didn't get your name."

"Shael Watson." He held his hand out. "It is nice to meet you."

"Autumn Kelly." She took his hand. "Likewise."

He let go. "You seem extraordinarily friendly to me, even though we do not know each other at all."

That sentence made Autumn's mood change. "… I don't have to know my fellow Faunus to be able to help them out."

… _I am a Faunus?_

For the first time since his arrival on this world, he was at a loss, but that lasted seconds, and then he reigned himself in. Looking shocked would only make her question him.

"In any case, thank you." He nodded to her. "I should go."

"You're welcome back anytime." She smiled genuinely. "We Faunus gotta look out for one another."

Leaving that place, Shockwave took his time to process this new revelation. A Faunus, as he understood it, could detect other Faunus, but he couldn't see any Faunus features on Autumn's face, so unless she was lying, which he didn't believe she was, then he too was one.

But what type was he?

A very loud sound entered his ears, and for a moment, he almost thought that his receptors were playing tricks on him. As it turned out, it was nothing more than a loud vehicle passing by, so he decided to continue on his way. His next thing to get would be a scroll. A technology store would probably be the place to go.

That was as easy to find as a clothing store.

Now this was his element, and here, he felt completely at-ease and comfortable. Models old, current, and new were being showcased. Dust scrolls came in all different sizes, shapes, and models, and each was suited for certain situations.

Shockwave wasn't looking for what purposes they could serve. What he wanted was the most powerful model right now. Once he read up the literature that detailed scrolls and how they worked, he could make his own modifications, probably even build his own custom model based on the specifications of a premade scroll.

"Can I help you… sir?" The man in glasses seemed a bit intimidated by him, even though they were of similar height.

"What is the most powerful model you have here?" Shockwave voiced his question.

"Ah, that would be the Generation X, Model L." The man looked like he had recovered and moved to present the model. "This model uses some of the most refined dust courtesy of the SDC. It's got a pristine camera that takes HD pictures and film."

"That is useful." Shockwave agreed, but that was not the answer he sought. "But I am more interested in the specifications."

"Ah, of course." The man pulled up his own device and tapped the screen a few times and displayed its contents. "It uses a dust-refining technique courtesy of the SDC. All the latest technologies have been added. Trust me when I say it, you won't find a better model on the market right now."

 _Unless you go the black market._ Shockwave mused internally. _They are often ahead of public products._

"Then this will suffice." Shockwave determined that this would do. "How much for it?"

"Since this is the current model and given that it has maximum storage," a pause ensued, "About 969 lien, but if you want more time to browse, I can-"

Shockwave counted lien in his hand, then just shoved it in the man's hands. "That should suffice." He was not planning on sticking around.

"Uh, sure, hold on a moment." A moment of counting, and the man quickly ran to the back of the store. "I'll be right back."

It was a busy place, this store was, and nobody was paying much attention to him. Certainly, people gave him odd looks, but in no way did they stare, not like he expected them too. Whether they were too busy to care or not affected by his appearance, it worked just fine with him.

"Here you are." The man returned with a small box. "Could I interest you in any-"

Shockwave was more than finished with talking to people for today, thus not bothering with social norms and simply grabbed the box and left. Now all he needed to do was charge this scroll and he could use it.

The device was light, and lightly built, and in his opinion, it was fragile, which left it vulnerable to even the smallest of drops.

There were some other odds and ends that would help him in the long run, but he had gotten the things he deemed most important right now.

His plan was to go to Vale and lay low there.

Dust planes were faster, but considering how he wished to remain incognito, perhaps not being seen by society for some time might do him some good. A short disappearance would permit him to start fresh, as the phrase was coined.

It was his musings and his relative lack of attention to his overall direction that brought him to a place where he didn't expect to find himself: a shipyard. Many were already leaving for the sea, some were docked and awaiting passengers or cargo or both, and others were just arriving.

It was his solution, he surmised.

It was most likely too late to get a ticket right this moment. These sort of things had to pre-purchased some time before the actual voyage was to take place, lest he lose his guarantee of a seat.

Pulling up his newly-purchased scroll, he began to search for tickets that could be bought in the next day.

There were none.

He shut off his scroll, attempting to conceive of another plan. It was then that he felt something tapping on his shoulder.

"Can I help you?" Shockwave knew it was a person, and he was tired of talking to people.

"No, but I think I might be able to help you." A woman's voice. "You were looking for sea passage to Vale, correct?"  
It would seem that this person happened to notice the contents on his scroll.

"Yes, I was." Shockwave turned to face his newest acquaintance, temporarily abandoning his loathing for conversation. "What of it?"

The woman about a head shorter than he was, but she looked fearless. She wore what looked to be nothing that a civilian would wear, which led the half-Cybertronian to believe that she was a worker of some kind.

"Well, you see, I'm actually a first mate on a vessel right over there." She gestured to a specific ship on the dock. "Right over there. We take passengers and some cargo. Our next trip is to Vale, one of the coastal cities."

"Why are you not on this ship now?"

"I had get a few things before we took off." She kicked a stray pebble off the path. "Kind of last minute, but captain didn't mind. Oh, sorry, where are my manners? My name's Matte Skye."

She held her hand out, and she didn't look scared when he looked at her strange before accepting the greeting.

"Shael Watson." The Faunus-Cybertronian felt himself becoming more and more accustomed to his self-formed organic name. "Well-met."

"To you as well." Matte looked back out to the sea. "So how about this: I get you onto the ship, and you owe me a favor."

"What sort of favor?" Shockwave treaded carefully, not wanting to end up in a deal that was unfavorable for him.

"Nothing life-changing or mind-boggling." It was like Matte didn't even have any real concrete idea about what he was to owe her. "But something equal to a one-way passage from Mistral to Vale, and trust me when I say this: you won't find a better deal anywhere else."

Shockwave doubted that statement, but he did think that he would not find a better legitimate deal. She was relatively easy to read in terms of emotions.

"So how about it?" Matte tilted her hips to one side. "It's not an offer that'll last."

There was really nothing to debate about in his mind, but just the same, this was not a decision he could just make lightly. He mentally reviewed everything that he had done since coming to this world.

He had arrived on this world in this new form. He had travelled and discovered a new wilderness. He had fought and allied himself with Atlas military personnel. He had travelled with said military personnel. He had evaded them to take control. He had gained a foothold in the civilized world of Remnant.

His future plans? To find a way to Cybertron, if at all possible, and to recover his original form, if at all possible.

Going to Vale? He was to remain elusive until he had more details in place.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something that caused his blood-energon spike ever-so slightly. An Atlas mech was patrolling, and if he had to guess by the faces it was being given, it was not welcome here. Its purpose wasn't too hard to determine.

"I accept your terms." He nodded his head quickly. "Was there anything else?"

"Nah, just follow me." She informed him. "We'll be dusting off soon. Just gotta explain this to the captain."

A final nod to Matte and Shockwave went to follow her

Only for them to walk meet face-to-face with the Atlas mech. Silence ensued as they both stared at each other eye and optic to visor.

Then the half-Cybertronian hacked into the mech's mainframe in an instant, which followed by him dumping junk data into its systems. The mech remained frozen, giving no signs that it was alerted to his presence.

"Atlas mechs," Matte scoffed, "What's one doing here anyways?"

"Who knows why?" Shockwave knew, of course. "On your lead."

He sidestepped the mechanical android, only sparing it a final look. By the time the primitive mech sorted through the useless data in its systems, he would be long-gone. At best, it had gotten a sparing glance of him, and Winter Schnee would not have the time or resources to track every ship and came and left the city.

"So what's your story?" Matte started off another conversation. "You don't look the type to be just wandering around for no reason."

"I have… business in Vale." Shockwave thought about his response for a moment, then added some more. "Unexpected business."

"Sounds super important and secretive." She sounded like she didn't know what to say. "So are you gonna tell me what that means?"

"It is as you said." He confirmed her words. "Secretive and important."

"Ah, well, everyone's got one of those." She shrugged her shoulders. "So are you into tech or something. Those prosthetics don't look cheap."

"There were custom-made." Shockwave made something up. "They replace what I once had."

"Ouch, sounds painful." She shivered slightly as she no doubt tried to comprehend the mental image. "You can spare me the details."

And he was more than willing to do so. The less she asked, the less he had to make up. Lying was illogical in this case, but still necessary.

"Well here we are." She gazed at the ship as if seeing it for the first time. "Ain't she a beauty?"

"I suppose so." How people viewed their ships as people was beyond Shockwave. "There is nothing else that I need to do?"

"Just get on-board and relax." She began to take off in a different directions. "I'm gonna check on the other crew members."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Winter Schnee's day went from exhausting to angering.

She shouldn't have left Shael Watson to his own devices. This was bound to happen and she scolded herself numerous times for doing something that someone of her positions shouldn't have ever done.

How was she going to explain this loss to General Ironwood. He had already be informed about the details of the mission. Her mission was mostly a success, but a mission that was mostly complete might just be counted as a failure in her superior's eyes.

One of her screens flashed and then suddenly went into a static frenzy. She focused her eyes on this anomaly. Very few people had the ability to hack into Atlesian soldier mechs, and she doubted that it was someone she did not known.

"Where are you?" She began to type some commands into the console.

With mechs spread out into the city, she couldn't afford to get out there herself. She'd never get to the offline mech fast enough.

"Dammit." She muttered under her breath.

She had an idea where to start with this useless data, and she tried to get through all of it and fix the problem.

That's when her console controls shut off and the screen darkened, but didn't blink out completely.

Instead, there was a single message displayed on her screen.

 **Pursuing me is illogical. Cease now.**

"Curses." Winter slammed her fist onto the metal console.

* * *

 **Eh, this is another boring chapter, but one or two more chapters similar in tone to this one and the previous chapter will be needed to set up Shockwave as the summary of the story tells.**

 **As some may have noticed, exploring Shockwave's mind is very complicated. Shockwave's mentality in life is easy: pursue what is most logical, though what he considers logical can shift and change given the right perspective. Remember that as I go forward. Also, I've spent some time reading about Shockwave via Transformers Wiki's and looking at the cartoons. All of them. I expect some very unusual results.**

 **So I made Shockwave a Faunus. It seemed to make sense. Even compared to Cybertronians, he's not like an ordinary Cybertronian. Like Soundwave, he can be quite a wild card. Also, what's not to like about a partly-synthetic Faunus badass?**

 **What did you guys think of this chapter? Please let me know so that I can make adjustments and fine-tune as I go. I may have the story outlined, but you can still affect the details when you speak out.**

 **Also, if it interests you, go check out my poll on my profile page for future RWBY stories, both normal and crossover.**

 **I hope you goys enjoyed this chapter, and remember:**

 _ **"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."**_

 **Henry Ford**

 **Primus be with you!**


	4. Defeat is Illogical

Chapter 4: Defeat is Illogical

 **Planet of Remnant**

 **Somewhere on the ocean**

 **Day 1 after leaving Windpath…**

 **Midday**

To most people, simply staring out into the ocean would only bore them until they sought another form of entertainment to cure their boredom.

Shockwave's control over his emotions as well as years of patience could allow him to stare off into the infinity beyond without a single hint of boredom. As a scientist, patience was a cornerstone to his work; without it, he would not have succeeded nearly as much as he had. Hard-work was only useful when it was used with patience.

That did not mean, however, that his staring out into the vast expanse of ocean was unproductive. Contrary to popular belief, a great deal could be accomplished with one's mind. One could comprehend knowledge they had already gained, come to new theories, form new hypotheses, and reach new conclusions.

Shockwave had a great deal to learn about this world, so before the dustoff from Windpath, he had been going through databases, and downloading every byte of data that his scroll would allow. He could have used his own internal systems to store info, but he decided that only extremely critical information was to be stored within his own systems. It wouldn't take him long to memorize data as his mind was sharp. It could even be said that he possessed a sort of photographic memory as the saying went.

His current thoughts were with the Cross Continental Transmit System. It was the reason that communications and Remnant's worldwide network were a reality. The system relied on four towers, each located in different parts of the world. All four towers had to be active in order for the system to operate. Even if one was down, communication was cut off. Short-range communication could exist without the towers, but without the towers, kingdoms wouldn't be able to contact each other.

Shockwave couldn't help but frown at this flaw. What sort of fool built a system that could be taken down so easily?

All it would take was a very skilled saboteur to disable the system. Even if communications were down for the briefest of times, that was all that was needed to cause some serious chaos. Scramble the tower systems, cut the power, or plant bugs within the system. There were so many ways that the CCTS could be exploited. It was amazing that there were no serious attacks against the CCTS. Hackers didn't even have to be physically within the proximity of the towers to have their way.

Also a subject of interest was the Great War. It was a war of ten Remnant years, and it had been a brutal one at that. All Humans and Faunus fought because of a disagreement on how to stop Grimm attacks. Ironically, it was also due to heightened global hostilities that Grimm attacks increased, which prompted both sides to often stop fighting each other temporarily and fight the Grimm first. It appeared that despite their differences, at least all combatants could agree that the Grimm were a greater threat than each other. For as long as Humans and Faunus had existed, Grimm had always pushed them to the brink, even in this age of advancement.

Shockwave couldn't help but equivocate the Great War to the War for Cybertron. Centuries of war had existed between the Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes, it was a struggle to recall a time before the war. The Golden Age seemed so distant, almost like a utopian that could never be achieved. Megatron had promised another "golden age," though after so much time had gone by, that promise had seemed hollow and substanceless. With the core of the planet shut down and the Allspark gone, Cybertron was nothing more than a wasteland and the scientist hadn't the slightest clue on how their dead homeworld could possibly be restored. Cyber forming technology wasn't even deployable on a planetary scale, not even close.

His whole life was built around logic, and though he never voiced his opinion on these matters out of respect for his leader, Shockwave couldn't help but think that Megatron's vision had long become warped into something much more different than originally planned. Megatron was the leader of the Decepticons, and his followers were loyal either genuinely or by intimidation. There was no middle ground.

In the end, though, between the Autobots and Decepticons, the latter was the only one with even the slightest chance of being able to restore Cybertron, however minuscule the chances were.

And he always joined the winning team.

Shockwave heard the waves splash against the boat, and he averted his gaze only momentarily so that seawater did not get into his eye and visual receptor. He would have to make sure that exposure to liquids did not rust his metal parts. He was certain there were anti-rust treatments that he could use.

This boat was filled with many people, Human and Faunus, children and adults, quiet and shy, and many others. He did not talk to any of them and nobody went out of their way to talk to him. That suited him.

Of course, he was prepared for a conversation when it did happen because logical dictated that soon or later, someone was going to walk up to him and muster up the courage to do so. He cut an impressive figure, and that probably served as a sort of intimidation factor.

There were more than a few ways to intimidate a foe with the way he was now. These organics did value their personal space and were particularly averse to staring. The conclusion was simple: to unnerve anyone, all he had to do was stare them intensely in the eye and invade their space. It was a classic tactic meant to intimidate and off-balance a target.

"Mental note to self." Shockwave murmured to himself as he watched people go about their business. "Study psychology in order to obtain more effective psychological tactics. Human and Faunus emotions, though similar to Cybertronians, may contain more layers to understand."

Until he could find more reading, he would have to resort to observing and taking note of conversations aboard this ship, provided that he remain subtle about it and not attract attention he didn't care to have.

Some five meters away, there was a Faunus who had an extra set of ears, presumably a mammal. Those were the most common Faunus types.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **Day 2 after leaving Windpath…**

 **Early morning...**

Shockwave was now opposite of where he was the previous day. He had eaten a quick meal from the mess hall before taking to the deck to enjoy what little quiet time he could afford on this vessel.

Yesterday, he had sorted out more than a few things in his head, the most important of them being the difference between Faunus and Humans as well as how to tell the difference between the two.

It had taken some time to get attuned to his Faunus senses, but he found very quickly that he was able to tell who was a Faunus by looking at a person. It was like his body was sensing a sort of organic pheromone. By knowing when someone was a Faunus, he could also distinguish a Human too.

Shockwave heard children as they ran by him, and he regarded them in a very curious light. These smaller versions of the living were something else, something he had never seen before. Cybertronians did not mate in order to reproduce and sustain the species as a whole. The Allspark generated new life. The only comparable thing to children on Cybertron were sparklings, and even then, that was a stretch. Sparkling was a term used to associate a bot or a femme with inexperience and naivety.

These children, on the other hand, were born from a woman, grew in body and mind with time, lived and matured, then aged and died. Children were truly the blood of their parents. Deoxyribonucleic acid was derived from a combination of the parents. In this way, the genetic makeup of the inhabitants of Remnant linked them all.

That ultimately led Shockwave to conclude that this was a weakness. All one had to do was have a thorough understanding of a body, Human or Faunus, and through this genetic similarity, one would be able to unlock the strengths and weaknesses of all. He needed to know just how similar his own DNA was to this world.

Shockwave had done some scanning of his own DNA, and he deduced that his Faunus blood was laced with something else, something alien to this world, but something that he was intimately familiar with.

Energon.

That might partially explain why he could fuel his Hyperflux Cannon, but he also concluded that his body required something else to power his technology. His best guess was that his aura was feeding it.

Every living thing with a soul possessed the ability to generate aura according to all sources of information he had. Aura gave the user the ability to enhance physical strength, defend their bodies, unlock the aura of others, and the capability to heal injuries. All of these abilities varied in power and scope depending on the amount of aura one had, the potency of aura, and sometimes if dust was involved.

Shockwave understood just fine what aura was and how it was used, but all of his logic and reasoning couldn't find a plausible and clear explanation why aura worked the way it did. It was illogical in every sense of the word. The soul wasn't actually a physical body part within a person. It was a spiritual and immaterial part of a person if he was reading correctly; it represented a person's morality and or emotional state. Immaterial things could not possibly generate such power.

Yet all the evidence told him that aura's power was real, and that meant it was powered by something.

Not only that, but aura was only part of the power. When one had an aura, more likely than not, one also had a semblance. A semblance was as power tied to a person, and every person had varying semblances. Again, the only thing that sources could all agree on was that these powers often were tied to a person's character.

Once again, this sort of reasoning was illogical, but like it or not, semblances were also a real thing.

The scientist had deduced that if there was another power that gave him the ability to use his Hyperflux Cannon, it was aura, but how he had unlocked it was a mystery. Usually, another aura-user had to unlock aura, but there were some cases where aura could be unlocked through sheer willpower or by meeting other conditions.

More importantly, since he had an aura, he also processed a semblance, but he wasn't really sure how he could find out what his was.

The only thing that he had to piece his way towards his own semblance was that a semblance was based on the person.

Shockwave knew who he was and what he did, but even so, that could open the door for a myriad of different powers. All he had to was look through a encyclopedia of listed powers in history to realize that knowing himself narrowed his potential powers down to perhaps a few dozen powers.

Semblances could be found accidentally or a person could be tested, but being tested required precedence, and this world had likely never seen a Cybertronian before. As such, it would seem that the only way for him to find out his semblance was to go about his business and hope for something to trigger it to life.

This was his only solution, and he was not pleased by it. Hoping was a fickle thing, and was not controllable.

It was through this digestion of information that Shockwave had come to realize that he had so much to learn about Remnant seeing as he was finding the need to understand how this world worked. If he continually augmented the number of things he wished to fathom, he would have to begin prioritizing lest he find too many things to work on.

The sound of a little boy chasing a little girl caught his attention. The former bot let his gaze linger on this chase. To think that they were the future.

The future…

Shockwave knew where this train of thought was going to lead him and he instantly shut it down. This train of thought was not one he wished to recall. Thought it was a part of his past and part of what shaped him into who he was today, the memories were just as much useful to him as they were irrelevant to him.

 _Idealism has no place for me._ Shockwave slammed the door on the memories. _Only cold-hard logic._

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **Day 4 after leaving Windpath**

 **Midday**

In order to keep himself busy and focus on what was most important, Shockwave elaborated further on his own plans for the future, and less on information about Remnant. He would have time for that later.

His mind had led him to a dangerous path two days ago, and he didn't wish to think about it and the best way he could think to distance himself from those thoughts was to prevent himself from thinking about them, and that was best managed by keeping busy.

There were still at least a few more days until they reached one of the coastal cities of the Kingdom of Vale. From there, he would strike out on his own and secure a base of operations where he could be left alone.

He did prefer to work alone, but there was merit in getting help. As such, there were a slew of ways he could find help.

The most obvious one was to hire freelancers of various skills and trades. It was not an uncommon thing to do, and Shockwave knew that he had the ability to fund any freelancer with a offer they could not possibly refuse.

Hiring other huntsmen and huntresses was another choice, but it was a more risky choice. First, he needed to guarantee that they would be loyal to him. Second, he needed to make sure that they wouldn't expose him. Finally, he would need to know their every power and skill in battle, things that could be obtained with many degrees of success and failure.

For the umpteenth time in the days of the voyage, he heard the same children chasing each other in a game called tag. At first, he had labelled such behavior as useless and illogical. Children were meant to learn and grow and develop both physically and mentally. How were the expected to be the next generation when they played games that would ultimately amount to nothing in the lives?

Shockwave then came upon another way to view this game. From what he had heard, it was a game called tag, and it required that a single person, the one that was the tagger, chase others, thus making the tagged person the new tagger. This game did require physical activity, and this game could be modified in vastly different ways.

There could even be some sort of mental work involved. Quick-thinking and split-second decisions needed to be made when it came to the environment around them. Tag could even be considered as a sort of simplified version of a much more dangerous game meant for huntsman, huntresses, and Grimm.

Although this new way of considering the game of tag was interesting in itself, there was more importance behind what it represented.

Shockwave knew himself to be very opinionated due to his logical nature. If something did not follow logic, he did not agree with it, and tended to see any other way other than his as inferior. If he was willing to admit that another viewpoint was right…

"Travelling alone?" The voice of a man, the Decepticon noted.

He remained in his position, with only his head turning to see who wanted to talk to him. From the dresswear, he appeared to be the ship's captain. No one else dressed like this man. The white in his hair and beard spoke volumes of his age, and his wisdom and experience. If this man had captained a ship for a long time and was still sailing, he must know a thing or two.

It was tempting to discourage this talk from happening, but the scientist knew better than to do anything that could get him thrown off, however pleasant this many seemed to be.

"Isolation is my greatest ally." Shockwave spoke in a soft tone. "It provides me with clarity and peace of mind."

"Well, that could be said for anyone." The captain didn't disagree, but did not fully agree either. "But eventually, everyone needs someone they can trust, someone they can rely on. We all need friendship and family."

 _My experience says otherwise, old man._ Shockwave could swear that his mental voice growl. _Do not presume to know who I am._

"You have been watching me." Shockwave pushed himself off the rails and faced the captain. "Why?"

"The lonely ones, they've got the most interesting stories." The old man made his thoughts clear. "I've heard quite a few, but they've all got something worth listening to."

"And what would telling my story accomplish?" Shockwave prepared his defenses. "It is illogical to listen to a story and expect changes."

"That's the sort of thing that person who's not good at conversation would say." The captain replied calmly. "It's a pattern that I've seen in the lonely and paranoid types."

Shockwave disagreed that he was lonely, but he could agree that he was indeed paranoid, and with good reason.

"Also, your appearance makes it clear that you're anything but normal." The captain pointed to his prosthetics. "No offense."

"None taken." Shockwave responded indifferently. "And to answer your original question, no, I am not lonely. I am not meant to have friends and family. I am meant to live my days serving a more productive and useful purpose."

"You should have some more faith than that." The captain declared with a bit of concern. "It's what makes us alive."

"Living is a mental state of being." Shockwave coldly replied, intending to end the conversation. "Nothing more."

The captain seemed to get the hint, but still nodded respectfully and left to do whatever he needed to do, but not before leaving a few more words to consider.

"When wisdom and valor fail, all that remains is faith." A slight pause. "And it can overcome all."

Shockwave heard the words, understood their meaning, and almost ignored them entirely. Any sane person would realize that faith accomplished nothing. It was a means of excusing actions and decisions when one could not and or would not take responsibility for themselves. Faith was a weak explanation for how the world and the universe worked. Religion relied upon faith because it was easier to simply believe that there were mystical and otherworldly powers at work than to find the true answer to how anything worked.

Faith was illogical, and Shockwave would never believe in it.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **Day 6 after leaving Windpath**

 **Late afternoon…**

One of the more quieter times was here, and it was not a time to be thinking or making theories or coming to conclusions.

It was simply a time for meditation, something that could help clear the mind, give one even more focus. He could use some more of that given the ups and downs that had to contend with while aboard this vessel.

They would be reaching the Kingdom of Vale sometime tomorrow, and as such, it seemed fitting to do something other than staring off into the endless oceanic waters. He had made considerable headway in his thoughts.

Standing at the front, he closed his eyes and tried to use his aura, or rather feel it. He had no experience in using it per say, or at least none that he consciously knew of. Of course, once he tried to sense it, he could feel it, but he wanted to be able to sense it not just because he was consciously looking for it, but because he knew it was there and he didn't have to question its existence.

The sound of the ocean waves as they splashed against the hull of the ship was nothing unfamiliar to his ears, as he had become accustomed to hearing them for the entire duration of the trip. It was the difference in sound that caught his attention.

It sounded like water falling against water. Waves didn't splash high enough to really make that noise, so unless something was rising out of the water, like a creature from the water…

The ship began to rock, and this caused him to open his eyes. The voyage had been free of any weather impediments, which would also cause the ship to move like this. However, there was nothing but the setting sun in the sky and a few clouds.

Shockwave felt something that attacked him. It was not physical, but something was clawing at him, a force that wanted him dead.

The sound of water against water made him stand up straighter. He then rushed to one side of the ship and saw something rising from the water.

A black appendage, covered in white, and sporting the occasional red. Then two more appendages. Then three more.

It was… a Grimm.

"What in Primus's name?" Shockwave tried to understand what he was looking at. "A sea Grimm?"

Even as his curiosity became piqued, he still armed himself and took aim with his Hyperflux Cannon. He took a shot, one to test the lower settings of his cannon. The shot did make a scorch mark, but unlike the Grimm in the forest, there was no smoldering hole clean through to the other side.

Shockwave surveyed all of his surroundings. Tentacles all around, all of them more than capable of dragging this ship down to a watery grave if he didn't do something about it. He was aware that the ship was armed, but just the same, he intended to make sure their chances of survival rose.

Shockwave heard a few scream coming from below. Tentacles were actually trying to drag people off to their deaths. Shooting the tentacles would also mean damaging the ship if he used more power.

He would have to do this the hard way.

He first seized one tentacle with his hands and began to exert the most strength he'd ever had to use since arriving on this planet. He would soon know how much strength he had. He twisted and turned the tentacle, but the monster would not relent. He fired three searing shots into the tentacle, and a loud growl could be heard from below.

The tentacle let go and plunged back into the sea.

"Thank you." The man, another Faunus, looked up at him. "I was going to die."

"Get below deck." Shockwave pushed the man to a slightly more safer position. "You are not safe out here."

The man just took his words and the fled the scene.

Whatever this creature was, it had so many of these slim arm-like appendages that it would be impossible for him to tackle them all himself.

"Portside cannon!" Someone shouted. "Fire at will!"

Intense gunfire began to crackle in the air, and for the briefest of moments, the memories stirred.

Gunfire. Screams of death. Metal against metal.

He closed his eyes. He opened them.

The skies were black, the only light were the infernos raging across the landscape, the blaster fire from both Autobots and Decepticons.

"Huntsman." Someone was trying to get his attention. "You okay?"

Shockwave pulled back from his recollection to see the captain of the vessel on the deck above.

"We need your help." The captain pointed to the other side. "The Grimm is trying to sink us. We need you to get the tentacles off of us."

"Understood." Shockwave complied without hesitation.

The scientist dashed to the other side of the ship, trying to assess where the Grimm's main focus was on. He couldn't see the main body, but he had an idea of what it might look like. A body that sported this many appendages seemed unlikely to have the equivalent of legs, not this far out at sea.

Shockwave fired another shot at one of the tentacles, and this time, the creature, instead of taking the attack and retreating, tried to attack him instead. Shockwave subtly moved his body out of the way, leaving only the smallest of margins between himself and the water-covered appendage.

He then grabbed it with his hand and pumped five more blasts into it, making sure that his shots wouldn't hit anything other than their intended target. The effect was what he wanted as there was part of a limb now turning into dust as it fell to the wooden deck. He then wasted no time in pushing to the rear.

The engines were located towards the rear of the ship, and if those were compromised, then they would be stranded. They would have to signal for help, and that was counting on anyone being able to hear their radio signals. They were still a ways off from Vale, even if it took a days more time of travel.

Shockwave slid under another tentacle before smacking it with the weight of his cannon. It collapsed for a second before he wrenched it so hard within his grasp that it broke and was rendered dead weight.

The weight of the ship began to shift violently, and the former Decepticon struggled to maintain his balance and still run. Perhaps his biggest asset was his body coordination, which allowed him better control over his body than most. This combined with his Faunus senses allowed him to maintain his course.

Once he'd reached the back, he looked down to see that there were indeed tentacles, but instead of reaching up, they were coiled around something, like they were trying to crush whatever they were wrapped around.

"I will have to get the tentacles uncoiled." Shockwave asserted to himself. "But how without damaging the ship?"

Unless he gave this thing a reason to disengage, then they would be doomed to die a worthless and forgotten death.

His best chance was to actually get to the Grimm itself, and so far, it refused to show its body. Given the size of the Grimm and how it chose to attack, it was a surefire bet that this one had sunk more than a few ships and had to fight some enemies to take down some of those ships.

Shockwave took a look down into the water, and though the water wasn't crystal-clear, there was something big down there, something big and ominous. He wasn't scared, but he calculated his chances of being able to kill as very low.

The most rational part of his mind told him that this was going to get him killed. It told him that it wasn't worth the effort and there were better ways to solve problems like this. There had to be a more advisable course of action that didn't risk his own well-being. Even if this wasn't his world, he knew that he could make it better. In a world full of illogical things and illogical people, it would be disastrous for him to die before he could make a difference for the better.

The other side of him, the more daring part, informed him that his best accomplishments were done knowing that risks were always a possibility and that to not accept risk was to never truly advance further. People who used their emotions, which was everyone, always took risks, and thought they didn't all pay off, risks were still taken. They couldn't possibly all be fools if some had succeeded.

His conflict was irrational.

Shockwave took a breath before diving into the water. Although swimming was not one of his strong suits, he knew enough. Also, he noted that his organic eye would be of no use underwater, not without something to shield the water. His robotic eye was perfect however, so he closed his organic eye.

He moved a bit out to see what he dealing with.

The Grimm was massive in size, and it sported so many tentacles. Counting them all quickly was out of the question. It's body was a single mass from which all tentacles sprouted from. At its center was a circular gaping jaw with rows of large sharp teeth. Most of its body was black with the occasional white and red.

Shockwave fired his Hyperflux Cannon, the blast finding its mark. The Grimm didn't take kindly to this and reached out. The scientist knew that his mobility in the water was hampered.

So he wasn't surprised when the Grimm grabbed him and began to pull him towards its mouth. The grip on his body was unbelievably brutal. He couldn't move an inch, and he felt the air being crushed out of him. He couldn't breathe underwater, and he began to suffocate.

Then out of the blue, the grip lessened and he came lose, floating once again in the water. His first bodily response was to breathe in and out, a decision that he thought he would regret. The sound of cannon fire overhead could be heard.

Except his body didn't respond in the way he expected it to. He took a breath in, then breathed back out, albeit heavily. He breathed in and out again. He wasn't drowning; he was breathing the water in and out of his body.

No time for this now. Now that he knew he could fight underwater indefinitely, his chances of victory had just been raised.

Shockwave fired more successive shots, the shots hitting the body and causing bleeding points from which blood began to seep out. If he kept this up, the creature was going to die a slow painful death.

While doing this, he also had to contend with tentacles trying to snag him, but having learned from experience, he knew that his best chance of staying out of reach was by dodging and weaving. The Grimm let out another roar.

What became even more complexing was how the the Grimm decided to completely break off its attack of the ship in favor of him. This time, Shockwave could do very little as four tentacles grabbed him by each arm and each leg.

It began to pull at all of his limbs, as if to try and separate them from his body. A normal person would probably already be in pieces. His Cybertronian biology, whatever remained of it, probably was what was keeping his in one piece.

The sight of his imminent death awaited. Those teeth looked as long as himself.

 _I am not afraid to die._ Shockwave mumbled these words. _But dying before finding my answers is unacceptable. Illogical."_

He felt… anger? Did he even know how to identify emotions anymore after so long without using them?

Somehow, forcing himself into determination gave him some sort of mental inner strength. For a tiny second, he felt a bit of empowerment. What he did not realize what that for the first time, his aura was activating in full and its power shimmered to the surface in an intense glare. Its touch to the Grimm was agonizing.

He was once again freed from his bonds. He hadn't realized that he had opened his organic eye, and found himself seeing perfectly.

"This is aura?" Shockwave looked down at his entire body as it glowed a dark purple. "It defies science, and yet…"

His aura beginning to show itself, he raised his weapon and fired again. The Grimm reeled back as it was under attack again. Shockwave pushed himself forward, firing numerous times without pause.

This was more than enough time wasted. It was time to put this thing down and get back to what he wanted to do in the first place. Not knowing how he did it, his aura began to increase his speed and now, he could go in for a kill.

Steeling his mind, he darted head-first into the mouth of the beast, taking care to avoid the sharp white teeth. Once within the confines, he began to fire continuously. It was a classic tactic that worked on all enemies: destroy the innards.

One shot.

Two shots.

Three.

He lost count, and continued to blast away. If he was using a trigger finger, it would be running on automatic. He was discharging shots as rapidly as the Hyperflux Cannon would allow him. The whole time, he did so with his usual impassive stare.

Kill it.

Destroy it.

It was logical.

Eventually, his shots were piercing its innards to the point where sizable holes were being made which allowed water to pour inside. Black smoke indicated that the beast was indeed dead. Thinking fast, the former Decepticon exited the way he had entered. Forcing the dead monster's mouth open was the only issue.

By the time he had forced his way out, the monster was almost scattered to the waters, and Shockwave navigated his own way to the surface with his robotic eye aiding him in this desire.

He surfaced, his lungs taking in the air in the atmosphere. It felt no different than breathing underwater. Was it his Cybertronian parts that helped him or was it his Faunus traits?

"Man spotted!" Someone's voice shouted from nearby. "At our nine o'clock!"

The man known as Shael pushed himself back to the ship, and a rope was lowered and secured it in his grip before he was pulled up slowly.

"Well there, tough guy." Matte helped Shockwave as he was pulled up. "That was impressive to be sure."

"It was the logical thing to do." Shockwave offered as his feet hit the deck.

"We probably oughta get you dry." The captain noted the water dripping all over his form. "We don't want you to catch a cold."

Shockwave doubted he could get diseases but simply said yes just for the sake of being polite.

"Thanks for saving us." Matte declared with a smile. "Guess that means we're even now."

"That would be the logical assumption."

* * *

 **A slightly longer chapter than normal, and one that combines a bit of action with classic Shockwave mind stuff. When it comes to Shockwave, there are so many things that I could talk about, and many of you seem to appreciate me going through his thought processes, so I hope what I did made sense.**

 **I went through the chapter, looking for errors, but I likely missed some, so expect those to be fixed as I reread it again. You are all free to tell me if you see something and nothing gets done to fix it.**

 **Also, for those interested, my RWBY story pole is up and will continue to be so indefinitely. Go vote for the next RWBY story you want to see, or continue to vote for this story so that it gets pushed up on my list of priorities. Right now, I write this story because it's actually something really fun for me.**

 **So far, I see that this story has gained a steady following, and that makes me happy. Let me know with a review what you think of the chapter and the story. Any ideas that people want to give me can also be left in a review. Remember, when it comes to logic, there are many things can be considered logical.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and remember:**

 _ **"Money won't create success, the freedom to make it will."**_

 **Nelson Mandela**

 **Primus guide you all!**

 **'Tis only logical.**


	5. Saving a Maiden is Logical

Chapter 5: Saving a Maiden is Logical

 **Planet of Remnant**

Shockwave could instantly see the differences between Mistral and Vale. Compared to Mistral, Vale possessed a much more simplistic way of life, or at least a less colorful way of life in his eyes. The technologies, the architecture, the people, the general atmosphere, all of these things and more told him that this kingdom was indeed not particularly special.

In fact, the only thing that could be called special about Vale was Beacon huntsman academy was located in the city of Vale, probably the most interesting city within the kingdom, which really didn't say much. Still, he chose to make his way there.

But he wouldn't be taking any airships, jets, or planes to get there. Neither would he take any form of public ground transportation. He would strike out on his own. This way he could continue to test his mettle against the Grimm along the way. He needed the practice; his experience in war, though vast, was not enough to cover all of his blind spots.

Shockwave wouldn't forget the experience of travelling with others. Matte and her captain had been more than thankful for him killing the Grimm that was designated as a Kraken. So in addition to his own personal musings, he had gained a favor and some allies, so now he a foothold on this world, a small one granted, but one he could use regardless. There was a saying: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Before he set off, he first reviewed some basic survival techniques and gathered some supplies from various stores. He then placed all of his purchases into his backpack and then set off.

The guards at the gate didn't argue with him when he set off. His physical stature alone seemed to have many of them a bit on-edge. Whatever words they had with him, he quickly talked his way through them. Their logic was easy to break through. He could have bribed them, and it would have been easier to do so, but bribing was such a petty and shallow path. Shockwave considered himself an intellectual.

The path would be dangerous and no doubt he would be needing to keep his nerves and his alert way up, but working in a laboratory while a war raged on outside had given him a unique sort of sense for danger, even when he was deeply immersed in his work. He intended to make use of this sense.

Before leaving the confines of the city as well as access to Remnant's network of information, he made sure to wipe his existence from all surveillance technology. He had a virus going through all systems throughout Remnant. This planet was tiny compared to Cybertron; with the amount of technology in accordance to the planet size and the primitive nature of said technology, he felt assured that he would be gone from all technological eyes before he reached the city of Vale.

Shockwave would have journeyed the whole way on foot if not for the fact that he spotted traveling caravans going to the various scattered villages. The price he offered to them was too tempting to just let go, and he was promised a journey that would make his journey at least twenty percent more efficient. Judging by their faces, it was not an offer they would ever get again.

The lien he had paid the travelers also gave him a good seat, though he preferred to travel with the cargo. He was not a Cybertronian, or rather, not a man of luxury. He would take only what he deemed to be enough.

The sound of tires against the ground was a much different sound than waves against the hull, but the background noise wasn't too disruptive. As he did on the boat, he sorted out his business, both personal and relating to Remnant, he ate when he needed to, and he took a short nap.

Shockwave listened to some stories as well. They were important to listen to because they would help him fabricate his own story to conceal his true nature and identity. This world, however small, could potentially have many threats. Regardless of his reasons for joining the Decepticons, he was still a Cybertronian, and Cybertron was his home.

The most interesting ones were of encounters with less friendly faces in the wilds. Bandits, raiders, cutthroats, and generally disliked types roamed the lands that weren't controlled by the kingdoms. They were considered barbaric and mostly beyond reason, so many within these caravans had to learn how to defend themselves. Not all of them could hire huntsmen and huntresses. The price was quite steep for an armed escort.

The landscape of Vale was relatively consistent. Forests, plains, hills, and the occasional mountains dotted the landscape. It didn't possess the varied landscapes that Mistral had and it didn't possess as much controlled territory as Mistral did either. Vale was actually quite a scattered kingdom. When looking at a map, it was surprising just how divided the entire region looked.

The Faunus-Cybertronian, once he was tired of stories, simply stared out into the distance, reviewing some new information with his brief connection to the web.

The White Fang, more than once had come up as recent news, and he paid no mind at first. However, once Faunus and inequality also started to turn up as common search words in accordance to said organization, it felt necessary to see what the fuss was all about.

The White Fang had originated as an organization dedicated to using peaceful means to bring about Faunus equality by means of protests, sit-ins, and various other methods that were considered civil disobedience. The risks that its members undertook were substantial, and credit had to be given for those with the courage to stand up to Mankind.

Shockwave applauded them for trying to reach realize such a goal as equality with society, but the methods were not to his liking.

Protesting, in some respects, was akin to a child who threw a tantrum when they did not receive what they wished for. Humans didn't believe Faunus to be on equal footing, and neither the Faunus nor the White Fang had done enough to convince their counterpart species otherwise. These means of trying to fight this inequality felt so hollow and pointless at times. Certainly if someone made enough of a fuss, eventually, attention would be attracted, but then what? It was as if protesters simply expected to change minds by spouting anger a lot.

Demanding change was never good enough. One also had to make change, and in order to do that, one had to take action, to show the world another way, and prove that way to be viable. People always responded to those who had the ability to overcome adversity and triumph. The White Fang could yell and complain all they wished, but if history had proved anything, it would not be enough. They needed action.

Then again, the Faunus efforts in the Great War should have been sufficient proof that the Faunus were equals to Humans and superior in some respects, but that wasn't the case, so there was a much deeper problem that lingered.

And it didn't help matters that the White Fang were now considered to be a terrorist organization. It not only hurt them, but it hurt all Faunus. The reputation of the entire species would be related back to the actions of the few who were foolish enough to take up arms and fight.

The label of terrorist wasn't without merit. The White Fang's tactics had grown admittedly more aggressive.

Tn any case, the fact was that Humans and Faunus were similar, similar enough that they could procreate. That fact alone was sufficient proof that they were of the same species, and that one of the two was a sub-species. That was too blunt of a statement, though, and it hardly answered the question of why Humans feared Faunus.

Those were his arguments, but ignorance had a way of preventing sense from coming into the equation, as did greed, power, and influence. When it came to the Faunus, there were many reasons to keep them down, virtually all of them unfounded and more excuse than reason.

As a Faunus himself, Shockwave had to ask himself these questions, because he expected to be discriminated against due to his appearance. The better he prepared himself with how to deal with ignorance and bigots, the more likely that he would have a good reputation, should he ever have need of one.

He decided upon a solution to his potential problem with discrimination. If he gave no ammunition for racists to feed off of, then their power would diminish and go away. The best to take their power was to not retaliate in a violent way. A smart mind was sometimes better than a strong body, and more often than not, ignorance and stupidity went hand in hand.

The White Fang? A group with good ideas, but with a terrible method of executing said ideas. He would certainly not be making the mistakes of his fellow Faunus.

Repeating the same thing was not only illogical. It was insane.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **Week Two…**

Shockwave, after having gone some hundreds of miles with the caravan, left on foot, paying what was owed, taking a few supplies, and set out onto the long road to Vale City. The caravan had made good headway, yet he still at least another month of travel.

The journey gave him seclusion with only his footsteps, his body, and the life all around him making noise, though none of this background noise came across as anything more than what it was.

According to the map that one of the caravan travelers had given him, the next village was another mile ahead. It was a medium-sized village with adequate protection and had a place where he could rest and resupply. The first village he had passed by, named Everett, was over three days behind him, and his pack was feeling a bit light.

There was another bend in the road, and he began to pick up the pace. He had been walking ever since before the crack of dawn, and as such, he had begun to wear himself out. His steps were more stiff, his body felt less agile, and he was all around exhausted.

Something struck his hair, and he stopped to gaze upward. Then something hit his face. It was a raindrop. Then there was another one. At this rate, it would begin to rain, then pour. Although getting sick in the rain was not likely, contrary to a popular myth, he had no desire to get doused.

Shockwave passed a few houses as rainwater began to increase. His head looked left and right. Surely, this village had to have some sort of public place for him to rest, if even for a few minutes. He saw a library, a town hall, a corner store.

Shockwave halted as his eyes came upon something: a bar

It would suffice.

Reading the name on the door, which said **Zenith Bar** , he pushed the door open, and was greeted with some music being played from what sounded like a stereo system. The music was soft, and reflected the mood that was inside the room: soft. Some of the tables were occupied with groups, but not all of the them were full as some sat alone. The bar itself wasn't filled either.

The former mech decided on a secluded spot to sit, not too far or too close to the other tables or the bar itself. He would be able to leap into action if there was an attack at a moment's notice.

He ran a hand through his hair, noting that it was slightly damp. His eye and his optic became more adjusted to the lit environment around him. His ears took in the flow of light music, the sounds of conversation, and the clinking of glasses. He noticed footsteps when they could be heard. He saw raindrops outside from the window.

He was noticing so many details, as was his mode of operation when taking in a new setting. He was never one to frequent places like these back on Cybertron; he only knew that they existed, and that memorable stories could come out of places like these.

The sound of a glass cup being placed on the table he was seated at urged him to turn his head to see who had come to him. It was a waiter, dressed and groomed with not a hair out of line. It was a very professional look.

Shockwave glanced at the glass, then back to the waiter.

"This is not mine." Shockwave said. "You have-"

"From the man over there. Red eyes, black hair." The waiter pointed to a table at the opposite end of the establishment. "He said it's on the house."

A man wanted to give him a free drink? Why in Primus's name would a stranger want to buy a drink for him? Were they to exchange words.

Shockwave kept his internal musings to himself. "Thank you."

"By the way, that's top shelf." The waiter informed the cybernetic Faunus. "The man said nothing less was acceptable."

If this man was buying a premium alcoholic beverage for him, then it would seem logical to assume that this man wanted something with him and this was merely a way of getting him to take the bait and talk.

The waiter left, leaving the scientist to stare at his drink for exactly twelve seconds before taking a swig. It tasted… light. With no familiarity with many of the tastes of even common foods and drinks, he could only judge by just tasting. It was much different from water.

"I should pay compliments to my buyer." Shockwave mumbled to himself as he got up.

Recalling the waiter's pointed hand, his eyes traced back to the source. He looked for a man with red eyes and black hair, and there was only one person who fit the description, and he stood out amongst the other patrons in the bar. His hair was long like his, though more unkempt. He wore a simple dress shirt, dress pants, dress shoes, and a cape.

A huntsman? He saw no obvious weapons, but a good warrior never revealed all of his hands.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd get over here." The man spoke with a laid-back voice. "You sure took your sweet time."

"I have no reason to trust a stranger." Shockwave assumed his Shael identity. "Especially one who appears to be a huntsman."

"You speak like you're not one." The man eyed him up and down. "You look more than prepared to fight."

"Combat is not my life." Shael replied smoothly. "Nor is conversing, so say your piece."

"A man of action." A small laugh sounded. "I can appreciate that. Name's Qrow Branwen. And you'd be right to assume that I'm a huntsman."

"Shael Watson." His red optic and eye blinked.

"You know you can sit down and relax." Qrow gestured to the seat opposite. "I'm not here to fight. I've done more than my fair share of that."

Shockwave peered at the strange human before hesitantly pulling out a chair and taking a seat, holding his drink in his robotic left arm. He did not trust this one and he was ready to kill him if his hand was forced to do so.

"Why do you want to talk to me?" It was time to get to the point, Shockwave decided. "And do not lie to me. I will know."

"How will you know I'm lying?" Qrow semi-taunted, semi-questioned. "Unless you've got a semblance that can tell truths from lies."

"I can know a liar even without a semblance." Shockwave stated confidently. "I ask again. What do you want?"

"I wanted to get a closer look." Qrow had his own drink. "If you spend enough time as a huntsman, you learn to recognize people with power, intelligence, or any special gift for that matter."

"And what do you recognize in me?" Shockwave wanted to see how this would play out. "What am I to you?"

"You're an interesting person in a dull place." Qrow leaned in, a serious look on his face. "A Faunus with cyborg parts? My initial guess would be that you're from Atlas."

"You would be incorrect." Shockwave answered, clenching his right hand, and then a question came up in his head. "How were you able to recognize me as a Faunus?"

"Aura lets you see a lot of things." Qrow chose vague words. "And yours is quite potent. I haven't seen aura like yours in a long time."

Shockwave kept his guard up internally. "And?"

"So what's your story?" Qrow questioned, taking a drink from his own glass. "Guys like us aren't exactly accustomed to normal everyday life, so our kicks have to come from somewhere."

Shockwave did not much care to be generalized or placed into a group. He belonged to no group and that was how he wished it. To place him within a group would mean he was no longer unique. There was no one like him.

"I am travelling to Vale." The transformed Decepticon finished his drink. "I have business with some old friends."

"What kind of old friends?" Qrow asked.

"The kind that I fought and bled with." Shockwave thought of his Decepticon brothers and sisters. "I am needed to finish a fight that we started many years ago."

"So what are their names?"

"You would not have heard of them, and our fight is hardly known to any kingdom. It is a more closed conflict."

"Another way of saying 'mind your own damn business.'" Qrow seemed to not be offended. "Well, it was worth a try."

"And what's a huntsman doing out here?" Shockwave threw his own question. "This is not a place of concentrated Grimm activity."

"I'm on a job." Qrow elaborated. "I can't tell you who, but it's enough to say that she's a VIP."

Although Qrow likely assumed that Shockwave would forget this conversation, the Faunus mech would not. A huntsman guarding someone? Huntsmen were not cheap to hire out, so whoever this human was protecting had to be important.

It was not his business who he was guarding, but the scientist made sure remember Qrow Branwen's face.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **Week Three…**

The last time Shockwave had been in a village, that had been two days ago. The next village was another few more hours according to the map. Another week of travel and he would enter the City of Vale, just as he had estimated.

It had occurred to him that he possessed no form of formal identification, at least not one recognized by the world of Remnant. He would have to fabricate one on his scroll as he had no form of paper ID, and no way to prove himself. Electronic forms of identification were a newer form and he had no guarantee that it would be accepted.

He supposed that it was a gamble he would have to take.

For all of his planning, he had a great deal of things he hadn't considered, and he admonished himself for his mental lapse. Such oversights were unacceptable and he would have to take careful steps to avoid further gaps in his logic. Missteps, while expected in his line of work, were not welcomed with open arms. Megatron expected the best from all of his subordinates, another persuasive reason to keep missteps to minimal levels.

The pathway had been sheltered by the trees of the forest for a long time, thus making his path all the more dark in addition to the grey clouds hanging above.

Not for the first time, Shockwave felt his tongue against his canines, feeling their sharpness, but not cutting his tongue. At first, he had paid no mind to them, simply knowing that all people, Humans and Faunus both possessed canines for eating and chewing meat and flesh, but then he noticed other people's teeth, and none of them looked as sharp as his own.

He had looked into a pool of water to check his row of teeth and saw he had something that most did not have. His canines were sharp, like that of a predatory animal. He supposed that he could count himself fortunate that his Faunus animal was akin to that of a predator, and by his own appearance, it was entirely plausible that he was meant to be a Wolf Faunus.

Another thing catching his eye were the tracks left in the path. Horse tracks were at his side, and as he followed the path, they became more and more clear, which meant that whoever had ridden by had done so recently. The number of tracks also suggested that the pace wasn't consistent. From fast to slow.

An echoed sound came to his audio receptors that made him stop to listen. It sounded like a gunshot. He continued to walk when there seemed to be a silence in the wind. He ended his trek again when he heard more gunfire, this time in quick succession. Multiple shooters then, but it meant nothing without context.

He heard another sound, this one coming from the wind itself. It felt like… the wind was picking up speed. He could find no logical reason as to why though. It was as if it had changed on a whim, but that would imply a person was controlling the winds.

A black cloud formed from out of nowhere in the distance and began to hurl lightning at the ground. Something was going on here, and nature did not factor into it.

His curiosity was a driving factor in his sprint, but so too was a more unexplainable feeling. In this world's terms, it was called a gut warning, an extension of a gut feeling, something inside a person that informed them of impending events, good or bad. This feeling felt like the latter.

He saw a clearing. He put more speed into his steps. A bolt of lighting could be seen hitting the ground

His first instinct was not to engage immediately. He would observe, then he would decide if intervening was a good idea or not.

Taking position up in a tree, he took in the view.

From what he could see, there was a battle going on. Three were fighting one. There were two women and one man fighting a single woman. It looked like the lone fighter was the defender, as she was continually pressed by her opponents.

Then the lone fighter did something that caught his eye. The woman dressed in the colors of autumn began to attack using the lighting from the clouds. How was such a thing possible? Even the scientist was finding it hard to believe that such power was gleaned from a semblance. For one soul to power something like that…

Shockwave focused his attention on the attackers. From their looks alone, there was something to be seen. It was pure and unadulterated hatred and focus. He had seen those eyes so many times in mechs and femmes during the war. Autobots and Decepticons often shared a mutual hatred for each other.

There was one with metal legs, and he fought with them in an extremely aggressive manner. The dark-skinned girl fought in a more controlled and concealed manner. The woman leading the former two fought with skill and experience.

They wanted to kill the lightly-tanned woman, but what for?

The pale woman summoned projectiles that looked to be forged from glass, which she then hurled. The lone warrior took the glass head-on, though suffering no outer damage. She must have an aura protecting her.

The battle then shifted from powers to physical combat. Each of their forms of unarmed combat was different. The autumn-colored woman was putting up an impressive fight, but there was a weakness that could be seen. She was fighting with reckless abandon, not composed strategy. That would only carry her so far, and eventually, she would lose.

Regardless of his opinion on who would win or lose, he still had no idea what to make of the situation though. He didn't know these people, what they were all doing here, and the purpose of this battle.

And just as he predicted, the lone elemental bender was promptly struck with explosive arrows, courtesy of the woman in the very promiscuous-looking dress. The winning side began to close in slowly. There had been a flash of energy, and Shockwave could only assume that it was aura. She might be out of it, which put her in mortal danger.

But she wasn't done yet as she hurled a wind blast, which scattered the attackers. She then struck with lightning again, downing them all with a simple wave of her hands. That just made her powers all the more questionable. If she didn't have any aura left, then what power was this that she had?

The elemental user grabbed a staff from the ground and began to limp her way towards the green-haired one. It wasn't hard to see what she intended to do. Her intent to kill was logical. They had seen power that they probably were not suppose to see. The intent to kill must mean that the power was secret.

Her downed opponents didn't stay so as she was shot in the back. Aura protected like a shield, and if an arrow pierced her body, then she had none left, just as Shockwave had first observed and deduced.

His window of opportunity to get into the mix was closing. These next few seconds would decide whether or not to help. Well actually, what was there to decide? Logic always dictated that he join the winning side in any debate. Clearly, the winners and the loser were as clear as a blue sky.

The two kids were forcing the defeated warrior onto her knees. The leader stood in front, a clear grin of victory plastered on her face. Confidence positively oozed out of every fiber of her being, which to Shockwave, might as well be arrogance.

The only real possible logical solution to his action was this: however defeated the long bender of the elements was, she was clearly defeated, and looking afraid. She looked determined to fight, but from where the scientist overlooked, she looked afraid for her own life, and maybe for some other reason. Saving her was logical because he could acquire a powerful ally.

Shockwave hastened his attack. The woman in red was using something on the face, and energy began to pour from one to the other. He took aim and fired, and his shot was on-point as it severed the connection only a second after it began to drain. He fired in rapid succession, forcing the three of them to back off.

The former Decepticon grabbed the brown-haired girl in his free arm while quickly ascertaining the faces of all three fighters. He was fortunate enough to get a good enough look that his mind was able to process them fast enough before he was attacked. With his battle mind on, he rolled out of the way of several shots.

The black-haired woman called upon a new power Its shape generally resembled that of a fission or fusion. That instantly prompted him to get clear. Such reactions could be extremely destructive.

Maybe he hadn't thought this over clearly.

Before Shockwave could counterattack, they were all gone.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Amber faded in and out, but she was vaguely aware that someone had intervened before she had blacked out completely. She made out a man with prosthetic ears, purple hair, and blood-red eyes, one real, the other prosthetic.

There was now quiet, and the man regarded her with a neutral look, almost too cold for her liking.

"What is your name?" The man's voice was empty-sounding.

"Amber." She managed weakly. "My name is Amber."

"I will help you." He told her. "This may be painful."

As he said, she felt pain, but she did her best to muffle her cries. She was still alive, and despite being beaten, she would not let weakness show, not now. She was the Fall Maiden. At the same time, she felt another soul touch her own. With it came a surge of power so unlike anything she had ever felt. Her strength began to return to her, and she could now see better. She didn't feel like she was blinking in and out of consciousness.

"Who are you?" She asked back.

"My name is Shael Watson." He kept his emotionless tone. "You are fortuitous that the damage is not too severe."

"Damage?" Amber couldn't help but ask.

"You have been infected with a virus." The man named Shael explained to her. "I believe I have slowed the process, but I require proper medical tools to purge it from your systems entirely."

"The next village may have some supplies you need." Amber croaked, trying to lift her head up. "I can guide you there."

"I know where it is." He lifted her up. "I will take you there."

"Thank you." She spoke to show her gratitude.

"Once you are fully healed, your gratitude will be justified." He began to move. "But it is appreciated regardless."

Amber grabbed the front of his coat, trying to keep an eye on her savior. He could be a Faunus, but it was hard to tell from just looking at his face. If he was, then his rescue would come as a greater surprise. Faunus weren't known to save Humans as a simple good deed, not with the way the relationship between the two races were.

"Why did you save me?" Amber had to know.

His answer was perhaps the most unusual answer she had ever received. She couldn't be sure what it meant, but it seemed to match his even tone.

"Saving your life was… logical."

She wanted a more clear answer, but she accepted it for what it was. She had escaped death, and for that she was grateful.

* * *

 **What was Shockwave's logic for saving Amber? I think you can figure that one out.**

 **I will be gone on June 8th and I won't be online for two weeks, so apologies if you guys send me PM's or ask me questions and I don't respond quickly.**

 **If you guys spot any grammar issues, feel free to tell me so in a review.**

 **So what do you guys think? Logical? Illogical? Further data required? Make sure to support this story if you want faster chapter updates.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I hope you all of your summer's are going well, and remember:**

 _ **"Know or listen to those who know."**_

 **Baltasar Gracian**

 **Peace!**


	6. Season Maidens are Illogical

Chapter 6: Season Maidens are Illogical

 **Continent of Sanus**

Shockwave had made an illogical decision, the very first major illogical choice he had made as an organic lifeform known as a Faunus. At first, he attributed it to his lack of insight; then he reminded himself that he was new to Remnant. He didn't expect to know all the answers, but he needed to for his own sake, and now for another's.

He felt certain that on Cybertron, he would never have committed such a blunder as he had done now. He had saved this girl, yes, but now he was a potential target for that black-haired woman and her servants. They were skilled and powerful together. They were the winning side, and he had chosen a lost cause, or so it looked to be as of right now.

The Faunus man slowed his pace to check if there were any pursuers on his tail, but found none. Neither his Cybertronian systems nor his Faunus senses picked up anything indicating that he was being followed. It was strange that there was no sign of pursuit. He could not conceive of any reason as to why the three attackers shouldn't give chase. It would only essentially boil down to one against three. With this Amber girl out of commission, he was her only line of defense.

Shockwave felt Amber cling a little closer to him, and his head turned down to gaze at her face. She was young, and youth meant inexperience; however, her battle proved that she had skill and talent. If she had perished then and there, it would have been quite a waste. Young warriors who could fight against unfair odds were few and far in between. Perhaps this was his next excuse for her rescue, however flimsy his reasoning.

The village seemed much farther away than he thought, and it was getting dark. Had he miscalculated the distance? Or was his progress lessened by the additional weight he was carrying? No, not those two things. He was being more careful where he stepped, for he knew that major disturbances to Amber could have bad consequences.

More importantly, they were out in the open. He was more than prepared to fight in the dark, though it was not a good idea to fight, not with his new charge. Getting her to safety was his number one priority.

He took his steps in quick strides, his head tilting down to see her. She eyed him back. She appeared weak still. The arrow had already caused more than enough blood loss and there was no telling if the arrow had been tipped with any substance that could harm her systems as well as whatever virus was raging.

Shockwave stopped walking, kneeling down.

"Do you have any aura left?" He was quick to ask, his eye and optic focused solely on her.

"No, I… don't." She coughed loudly. "I need… your… aura."

"But to heal all your injuries would require a vast amount of aura." Shockwave recited, having done his research. "I do not know if I have enough."

Amber opened her mouth to try and speak, but she coughed again, and had to refocus on her breathing. She was overexerting herself too much. It looked that in an instant, her injuries, internal and external had magnified. Something had to be done right now. There was no time to wait for help.

The scientist quickly decided to set her down so that he could work with his two hands. He took only a moment to pick out a patch of grass that was more than spacious enough to lay her down. He took extra careful not to disturb her.

Shockwave's options were few. As he had told her, he didn't have the proper equipment to heal her, and this time, he had turn to the only option that would give him a quick result, albeit an unprecedented one in his book. Aura was new to him, and his inexperience in its practical uses made him more hesitant to use it.

There could be no doubt now, no matter how he felt on using aura to heal. This would work or it would not. The worst thing that would happen was that she would die, and he would go on his way, and possibly be hunted down.

The best thing that could happen? Who knew?

Relying on his previous experiences in channeling aura, he began to channel his own power. The first thing to do was to establish a connection between himself and Amber. If she said that aura could be transferred, then that would mean his soul would have to be somehow connected to her soul, so the logical course of action would be to search for a connection. That made sense to him.

Shockwave felt his own power, and he didn't have to concentrate hard to find something that felt like another source of power. Given that he felt no other presence within the forest that came close to this power, he surmised that this had to be her soul. His eyes narrowed only slightly in order to get a better connection.

A slight hitch in his breathing told him that he was no longer alone. It was like his own power had meshed. He was surrounded. He focused on this feeling, keeping it fresh in his mind. If he were to heal again, he needed to remember everything about this process, both from an analytical viewpoint.

He searched her whole being, reviewing her for any imperfections. He wasn't certain what to investigate, but instinct was telling him that as he searched, there was nothing glaring. Connecting to another pool of aura was as simple as it sounded. It was aura, but it wasn't his own; he could sense a difference right from the get-go. Her aura showed brightly like the colors of autumn.

Perhaps her powers were tied to a season, but she had displayed some power that could be associated with all the seasons. Short of asking her, he would not be able to determine what her other-worldly powers were.

Shockwave felt a disturbance in the fabric of her existence. It was something akin to clawing, biting, slashing, and bashing at a fortress, an invasion.

The scientist delved deeper into this problem. To his senses, he felt a blackness crawling all around, a blackness that threatened to consume all that it touched. Nothing was resisting it either, thus it's curse was spreading. It was like looking at a virus attacking a system and corrupting the coding.

Now the question was how he was supposed to block it? Did he just will it to go away with his own being? Did he actively try to stop it as if it were a physical act? Did he take it apart like a mental problem?

How did humans define the soul? He thought about that for a moment. He decided on an answer.

Since aura was a representation of a soul, the best way to counter an attack on the soul would be to force the invasion away, and the only way that would be done is by sheer willpower, to which the part-Cybertronian could understand in a way.

Yet that answer left him lacking. Willpower was not enough to win. One had to have the proper strength and intellect to carry out what they wished, and even those two things were inconsequential compared to what was most important; the ability to adapt to an environment accordingly. In any battle, being the most flexible was far more important than being the strongest or the smartest.

Shockwave reached out to 'touch' the invader, to which he received a jolt of pain, although nothing too severe. Seeing that he needed more of a push, he ramped up his aggressiveness, forcing the disease to fight back. It wasn't like a battle where he could hit, dodge, and counter, but it was a struggle of sorts.

Whatever this thing was, it resembled the Grimm in terms of how it felt against his own soul. There was nothing but negativity that he could see, everything that Mankind and the Faunus feared and fought against. In knowing this fact, fighting was easier. If there were no emotions to feed off of, then the job was easier.

He expected more of a fight, and after the disease tried and failed to get past him, it receded to his senses, though not fully going away. It retreated into a small corner of Amber's soul, and set itself up like it was preparing for a siege.

His thoughts turned back to the Battle at Iacon. The Autobots knew that they were losing, and they had set up Iacon as the last line of defense before jettisoning all artifacts into deep space. That had been a long battle, and the last one of the war.

More and more, this seemed less like a virus running on its programming and more like an intelligent life form that was trying to find a way out of the situation. It was as if it was saying that to touch Amber's soul was to spell certain doom.

Shockwave wasn't deterred.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Amber found herself returning to consciousness, though she didn't take the time to open her eyes. She felt strangely comfortable, yet this wasn't a bed that she was resting on. It felt like it was… the ground. When she finally did open her eyes, she was greeted by blackness with a tint of yellow nearby, the yellow of a campfire. She had made enough herself to know even with only a slight glance.

She tried to get up, and she hissed in pain. Her back felt like it was on fire and she instantly returned to her prone position.

"It would be wise for you to remain like that until morning." That cold masculine voice sounded nearby. "The risk of reopening your wound is not worth the trouble."

It was such a distant tone, such a frightful one, yet it didn't sound like a lying one. Yes, it was perhaps the most deadly voice she had ever heard, but there was no denying that there was a cold-hard-truth vibe, the one that wasn't nice to hear but let one know how things truly were and nothing more. Her warm personality felt at odds with the simple cold regality that emaciated from this man, but she felt sure that he was trustworthy at least.

Trust meant so much, now more than ever considering the last few hours or so.

"Where are we?" Amber had to ask this first. "Are we safe?"

"We are on the path towards the nearest village." She recalled that his name was Shael as he informed her of their situation. "And we are safe for now. There have been no signs of pursuit since you were attacked."

"That's good." Amber relaxed her body a bit more. "I don't feel that I'm in any condition to fight."

"You are not." Shael's answer came swiftly. "I will be defending you until your injuries are fully healed."

That was a more than satisfactory answer, so Amber closed her eyes and calmed her mind. She was alive and still able to do good. Although she had guardian angel at her side now, however unorthodox, she would be on her guard until she returned to safety within the kingdom walls. Vale was not too far off.

"Thank you." She spoke suddenly, feeling a need to convey gratitude. "For saving my life."

"Your gratitude is unnecessary." Shael regarded her. "What was that power you displayed? It is not aura, that much I know for certain."

This was bound to come up in conversation, and if her situation were different, she might just silence him for seeing too much. It was simply too great a risk for travelers to know about the Maidens and their power, especially one who she could sense was far more dangerous than his attitude told. Saving her life had granted him an excuse from being killed, but she was under no obligation to tell him.

Amber then argued in her mind that she owed him his life once again. Surely that was more than enough justification to tell him. She trusted him somehow, even if she didn't know him at all, and people who trusted each other shouldn't have to keep secrets.

"Can you swear to not speak about what I have to say?" She demanded as best she could. "You were not supposed to see what you saw."

"I see no reason to tell anyone, so I will not." Shael nodded his head, but his eyes also conveyed his promise. "I swear upon the Allspark."

 _Allspark?_ Amber could only quirk in wonder. _What in the gods' name does that mean?_

She shook it off.

Amber felt strange not being able to fill the void with some form of conversation. She felt uncomfortable saying nothing, yet her savior was unaffected by the silence. All he did was stare into the fire with a look of indifference. If he was thinking about something, she wouldn't be able to tell what based on his expression alone.

At first, she attributed this lull to his nature, but it wasn't entirely out of the question that she was a bit on the quiet side. She was the Fall Maiden, and that meant she often travelled alone in the wide world. It was a small price to pay for possessing unnatural powers. That being said, her social skills could be rusty.

"You seem far from afraid of the situation that you've been placed in." Amber said this in order to see if she could glean something about him. "Most people wouldn't be able to handle a situation such as this."

"I am not most people." Shael rebutted with what almost sounded like a biting inflection. "This is no different from any problem in life. I will continue to approach this situation the same way that I approach any situation: analytically. Logically."

It was like this man was the picture-perfect incarnation of emotionlessness. No fear, no excitement, nothing at all. Emotions were an integral part of Humans and Faunus, not just intelligence. Having only the latter seemed out of whack. Amber couldn't say that she was enthralled by her new companion in that aspects.

"Well, if I can be of help in any way, please let me know." Amber changed the topic. "I might be weak physically, but my powers are still readily available."

"Duly noted." Shael heard and responded, then asked his own question. "And getting back to the main topic of your powers…"

"Apologies." Amber got comfortable in her laying position as she began her tale. "The Maidens power comes from an old legend. An old wizard had isolated himself from the world. Four young girls came to visit him, all of them sisters."

Telling Shael of the old story was a different experience than telling other people. With others, it was a legend to be passed down. Now though, she had to tell it as best she could because it was truth.

Amber made sure to outline all that she knew about the other maidens. Their powers, their original personalities, and everything she from the past up to the present. She could not tell him the identities of the other maidens. The Maidens were only aware of each others' existence, as it was necessary to preserve the secrecy. More than one Maiden in one place was just ripe for opportunists.

When she finished the story, the Faunus man could only stare at her with a face of analysis. He looked to be picking apart what he was given piece by piece if she had to venture a guess. It seemed a lucid idea considering what she had seen and experienced from him thus far. She could only ask herself one thing: what was he going to ask next?

A question was inevitable.

"Who do you answer to?" Shael's question deviated from her expectation.

"Well, we answer to no one." Amber answered honestly. "The Maidens are trusted to use their powers in responsible ways."

"But surely someone must keep an eye on you, either to protect or eliminate you. I refuse to believe that the Maidens are simply completely free to do as they wish. A safeguard is a logical and obvious choice."

Perceptive to the end. There was no hiding from this one. It felt like secrets held no meaning to him as he could presuppose the truth from the bits that he was already mindful of. Would he know all of her secrets if she spoke too much? Did he already know but he had yet to voice them because he wanted confirmation from her?

"The huntsman academies know of our existence, or to be precise, all of the headmasters know of our existence as well as a few others. There is a brotherhood, one that's dedicated to keeping the Maidens from the public eye."

"And who leads this brotherhood?"

"Although there's no leader per say, Professor Ozpin from Beacon Academy is the unofficial leader I suppose you could say."

She coughed for about five seconds, feeling herself getting exhausted. She felt more winded now.

"Rest. We will talk more in the morning and plan our route."

His attention was consumed by the scroll in front of him, and with her waning strength, she had no reason to fight his choice, so she reclined her body as best as she could and closed her eyes. Today had started off nice, turned ugly, then became weird. At the very least it wasn't boring.

Amber shifted a bit more to get more comfortable before trying to catch a few winks. She had a lot of things to explain when she got back to Vale. Speaking of which, she wondered if her shadow had witnessed these events.

If so, how come they had not shown themselves? Was Shael's presence a hinderance to the brotherhood? No introductions had been made nor had any attempt at contact happened. Was this a calculated move? Was it to buy time?

She yawned silently, then started to dream.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Qrow watched from the shadows at his two targets of interest. The first was the Fall Maiden, his main charge to protect. The other was the man who was named Shael Watson, the very same man that he'd met in the cafe some days ago. It was hard to remember just how long ago; he'd been drinking enough to get drunk more than a few times and lose his perception of events and time.

The Faunus man had seen more than he should have seen. Silencing him would be the quickest and easiest way to tie up the loose end. Nobody would question someone who seemed so isolated and alien from everyone, even his fellow Faunus. The veteran huntsman had considered the option, then he came up with a better one.

"I can see you hiding in the trees." Shael said loud enough to warn him, but not enough to wake Amber. "There is no point in hiding."

The man had good eyes. Qrow jumped down and revealed himself.

"You must be the shadow, Qrow Branwen." Shael immediately began to speak. "You have been following me ever since your charge was attacked. Why did you not intervene?"

"I was delayed with some other business." Qrow sat down on a nearby log, watching the fire as he talked. "By the time I got to Amber, you'd already saved her, so I wanted to see what you'd do."

"And your conclusion, huntsman?"

"You're not our enemy, but are you our ally?"

Leaving that question in the air, Qrow grabbed his flask and took a swig, watching Shael from the corner of his eyes. The man likely possessed a heart of stone; the amount of emotions that he'd seen in the man could be boiled down to one: apathy, if that could be considered an emotional state. There would be no getting a read on this man, so he'd have to listen to the conversation attentively.

"It is more logical to be allied with you than to fight you." The Faunus threw another log into the fire. "I gain nothing from killing or capturing the Fall Maiden. As it has been said, only women can possess the power. I possess no associates either that could harness the power."

"Oh, but I think you've got more than you realize." Qrow suggested as he stopped drinking. "You already have Amber wrapped around your finger. Simply by saving her life, she has a life debt to you. Her nature will compel her to repay the debt. That in and of itself makes you dangerous."

"If I choose to act upon it." Shael repeated what he already intended. "Which I cannot and will not act upon."

"The word of an acquaintance isn't assurance." Qrow reminded the Faunus. "The only reason that we're not talking with our weapons is because you saved the Fall Maiden and you don't appear to be a bad guy."

"And who are the so-called villains?" Shael pressed. "You are all unknowns to me."

"Well, the Grimm for one, but I'm sure you already knew that." Qrow swished his flask around. "Then there's the pawns you just saw. The queen's pawns."

"The queen?" Shael questioned monotonously.

"Nothing much is known about her, and right now, it's not important." Qrow knew he was changing the topic, but he needed to establish trust first. "What is important right now is you. Regardless of how you feel about all of this, you're a liability."

"You present an ultimatum then." Shael's tone was less than impressed. "And my choices are?"

"Like I said, killing you would be a waste." Qrow stretched his arms. "However, there's another option that benefits all parties."

"I will be the judge of that."

"What I could do is bring you to my superior, Professor Ozpin, the head honcho of Beacon Academy, as Amber said. You might just be a valuable asset to our side."

"You mean to force me into service."

"I wouldn't call it that. Consider this like being scouted for a high-position job. I've done it more than a few times for Oz. I know unique people when I see them. You've got something hidden. I don't know what, but there's something."

"A instinct with no facts or evidence. I would hardly call that line of thinking logical or worthy of note."

"Man, you've got the emotionless robot part nailed down. Do you practice in front of a mirror or something?"

A withering stare was all the enigmatic man deigned to answer with. The scythe-wielder wasn't offended. He was used to more than a few people giving him all sorts of negative looks, not that he didn't get more than a few good ones too. This was one tough egg to crack; he had no leg-up on Shael. It was like no matter what he dangled, the bait would not be taken, at least not on Qrow's terms, and that was irksome.

"What do you gain?" Shael got his attention again. "What do I gain?"

"Simple." Qrow cracked his knuckles. "You gain huntsmen and huntresses as allies. You get access to the inner workings, the truth, really anything at this point. That is, of course, assuming that you come with me. We gain an ally who looks like he can actually get stuff done for us. We fight for Mankind."

"And Amber?"

"She'll be on her way once she gets a clean bill of health."

"Then I accept."

"Just like that? I thought you'd be a bit more resistant to the idea."

"Resistance is illogical. What I gain by accepting is more than what I gain if I refuse, even if I do not have a choice in the matter."

"If people thought like you, we'd have far less problems in the world."

"But this world is not logical. However, it is all that we have, so instead of complaining and griping for what I cannot have, I simply take what I have and make the most of it."

That sounded almost like an answer one gave to placate for the sake of keeping out the true answer. Qrow could say that he believed that Shae believed in the words, yet the answer left him wanting more. A man that had secrets to keep usually had a past that was worth finding out about, or at least that's what experience said.

"There is only one condition that I give in return for my service to Ozpin." Shael opened his palm and closed it. "I ask for nothing else."

"Alright, shoot." Qrow gestured to continue.

"Amber, I want to be able to remain in contact with her at my discression." Shael replied firmly. "This is not negotiable in any way."

"Oz might not like it, but I get it." Qrow sighed, standing up. "I think that's all I wanted to talk about tonight. The next village has a working airship that will take you to the kingdom of Vale. It's an early ship, in about… seven hours or so. I'd get some sleep if I were you."

"Then I bid a good night to you, Qrow Branwen." Shael stating his name in full felt different than when others did it.

"Yeah, you too." Qrow waved dismissively. "And thanks for making my job less complicated than it could have been."

"It was logical. That is all."

Sounded about right.

The veteran huntsman grabbed his weapon and walked off. He had a good feeling about this one. Although Ozpin might disapprove of the situation they had been placed in, the old man would listen because this was unmistakably a gamble that could pay off in the long run.

There was only one thing to do now: tell Oz what had happened. Qrow whipped out his scroll and began to text a message.

 **Queen attempted to steal the Fall Maiden. Situation under control, however, unknown intervened.**

A push of the button and the message was away. It was late, but he had plenty of energy, so a quick transformation into a crow and he was flying off. It would be a bit of a flight back to Vale. That was enough time to convince Ozpin and Glynda if they had any doubts. The latter was bound to have an objection or two.

 _Then again, when doesn't she have something to say?_ Qrow snorted to himself. _That woman has a criticism for everyone. If she didn't do her thing, I'd be amazed._

What couldn't be denied was the asset gained. A war was coming soon, and getting the upper hand was incredibly burdensome at a time like this. The world was at peace, or as close to peace as Remnant could get discounting the Grimm. How long would it be before the first shots were fired? It could happen at any time really.

Of course, revealing that to Shael Watson was a sort of desperate move on his part. Not revealing it would have only delayed the inevitable. The Faunus wasn't stupid; he could have already put it together long before the chat. Telling was an act of good faith, one that hopefully would have good consequences in the end.

And faith was one of the few things to be reliable.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Amber felt awkward despite there be no eyes to witness the position that she was in at this moment. Her strength was returning, but not enough for her to walk for a sustained amount of time. Shael told her that he would carry her and there would be no problem. He proclaimed that she was light.

So she kept her head bowed and her hands on the front of his coat as he carried her bridal style. If he felt just as awkward as she did, it might make her feel less awkward. Maybe in another life, she would be getting some enjoyment out of this.

"You know, you could carry me on your back." Amber had tried to argue with him. "This position is a bit too personal."

"I could not care what others think." Shael's cold voice was it's usual self. "If it becomes a problem, then I will correct that assumption."

"You make it sound so easy." She murmured as she struggled to unwind her mood. "Have you ever head of the saying 'A lie told often enough becomes the truth?'"

"I understand what you mean." He remained in his disposition. "And I also reject what you say."

"You know, you could try to humor me at least. It's no fun when you shut my conversations down. People appreciate when their ideas and thoughts are heard. Your logic isn't the only thing in the world."

"Your opinion is noted."

Was that a true note of her words or was he saying that just to end the topic? Dammit, she couldn't tell. He was so good at looking like he didn't care about the people and the things around. What did he care about, if he cared about anything or anyone?

Apparently, there was an airship in this village that could take them to Vale, something that even the Fall Maiden wasn't aware of. Although not averse to ships, she did prefer to go about on horse or on foot. Right now though, getting to safety was paramount above all else.

It didn't take long to find the ship. In a village consisting of small buildings and houses, flying vehicles were easy to point out. Without hesitation or delay, Shael stepped up to the boarding deck.

"How much for two to Vale?" The Faunus questioned automatically.

"Um, hello there." The man seemed frightened. "Just you and your girlfriend?"

"How much?" Shael demanded more harshly.

"T-that'll be two hundred lien."

"I need to let you down." Shael told Amber.

"Okay." She agreed as he gently lowered her, though she leaned on him for support.

Almost as if he had better things to do, Shael brought out a wad of lien and slapped it into the man's hand. Then he quickly guided her up the ramp.

"You could be a little more courteous." Amber scolded him. "Not all people work like you do."

"Noted."

* * *

 **Shockwave is a logical Decepticon, meaning that virtually everything he does is something that is logical for him. While I may not explicitly state it in each chapter, know that just because he accepts does not mean that he agrees to all terms, at least not in his mind. Plus, as a logical being, he is bound to expose some loopholes if it suits his logic.**

 **Next chapter, prepare yourselves. It's going to be Ozpin, Glynda, Qrow, and Shockwave in one room. What will happen? Stick around next chapter to find out.**

 **Thanks for the support for this story. It's been fun for me to write, but it's also a joy to see the support that it gets. My sincerest apologies for such a late chapter. I had the chapter down in terms of what I wanted to happen. Then I got really busy.**

 **Anyway, please leave a review so that I can see what the buzz is regarding this latest update. Also, continuing to favorite and follow and review gets this story higher up on my priority list.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading.**

 ** _"You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind."_**

 **Joyce Meyer**


	7. Ozpin is Logical For Now

Chapter 7: Ozpin Logical... for now...

 **Kingdom of Vale**

 **Beacon Academy**

 **Beacon Tower Elevator**

The City of Vale.

Just as Shockwave had predicted, it was bland in comparison to the more colorful culture of Mistral. Beacon Academy was the only thing that interested him in the city of Vale and maybe the whole kingdom altogether, something he had established earlier as well.

Amber had gotten some rest on the way to the kingdom. Shockwave chose not to rest, instead focusing on his surroundings. Dull as they may be, he needed to know the layout, the strengths and weaknesses of the borders, anything at all about his new surroundings. That would come with more details once he had settled into a more permanent place of residence.

"Beacon Academy." Amber breathed with a hint of admiration. "This place produces some of the best huntsmen and huntresses in the world."

"The grandstanding could be dimmed by many margins." Shockwave took one look at the school and decided it was too big and ornate for his taste. "The entire campus screams lavish for no reason other than for the visual spectacle."

"It's more than just a pretty picture." Amber argued back. "Beacon Academy is a symbol of huntsmen and huntresses. That image has to be presented as such."

"Such an image also paints a large target on the back of the head." Shockwave shook his head in disagreement. "This place may one day become a battlefield."

"No battle has taken place here since the Great War, and that was over eighty years ago." Amber looked up at his face. "Nobody would dare attack this place."

 _So naive, so foolish._ Shockwave mulled internally. _Beacon Academy is the perfect place for any would-be world attackers with enough resources, manpower, and influence._

Then again, any would-be attackers would have to contend with a multitude of students of varying skills as well as the no-doubt more skilled and experienced staff members. Assuming that someone had the ability to get past those two obstacles, then that someone had to be extremely powerful or skilled or both.

But then what? Someone taking down Beacon Academy would be able to send a powerful message, but was that all they could do? If that were the case, there were more than a few ways to do the same in other locations. Assaulting a place filled with warriors was simply inviting certain doom.

Who would attack Beacon?

And why?

"So why can't you put me down?" Amber protested once again. "I can walk just fine, you know."

"Trust me." Shockwave refuted her claim. "You, in fact, cannot, at least not for a sustained amount of time."

"I told you, this is embarrassing." Amber remained firm in where she stood. "If you have to help me, then I can lean on you."

"I still do not care what others perceive." Shockwave wasn't one bit moved by her pleading. "It is better to be certain that your injuries are not disturbed."

"But people are staring at us." Amber's head motioned to all of the people on the academy grounds.

Indeed there were so many pair of eyes drawn to the two of them. Of course, they all tried to act like they didn't see, and it was likely that no one dared to look directly for fear of being stared down.

It was appear the scientist intimidated more than just normal people.

"So there are a lot of people." Shockwave continued on without another thought. "And?"

"You have absolutely no social awareness." Amber could only bury her face in her hands. "Have you been living under a rock?"

"No." Shockwave intoned. "I have been living in laboratories."

"That's arguably just as bad if not worse." Amber declared with narrowed eyes. "No wonder you're manners are lacking."

"You know, you two sound like an old married couple." Qrow remarked in front of them. "If I didn't know better-"

"You do not know better." Shockwave interrupted him soundly. "There is no romantic element in our relationship whatsoever."

"What a buzz kill." Qrow shook his head. "You see, you don't make friends by being… boring. C'mon, take a joke, lighten up, metal man."

"Your advice is duly noted." Shockwave could only wish for silence for maybe another minute.

"... that sounded like a 'yeah, whatever' kind of response." Qrow said.

"..." Shockwave stared at the doors up ahead. This was going to be a long day.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

The elevator ride ended, and from there, it was a walk into a massive hallway, surrounded only by dimly-lit lights adorning the walls. It somewhat was reminiscent of Megatron's fortress in the Decepticon city of Kaon. That place was where he had invented, innovated, and fine-tuned some of the best weapons of the war.

"This is a vault." Shockwave realized without question. "Why does a huntsmen academy require a vault?"

"That's not really something you need to know right now." Qrow intoned with seriousness in his voice. "For now, all you need to is that you're about to join one of the most secretive societies in all of Remnant."

"Society?" Shockwave queried. "For what purpose?"

"For the purpose of protecting all of the Maidens." Another male voice sounded at their intended destination. "And the world."

That was when Shockwave got his first look at the headmaster of Beacon Academy. A human man who stood at his height with a slimmer build than his own. Grey-silver hair, brown eyes with a neutral expression that might even be able to compete with his own indifference, a posture that indicated vigilance and authority, and an overall powerful presence. He wore a suit combined with a button-up vest along with what appeared to be a green shirt underneath. In front of his eyes were glasses. It was an uncomplicated choice of clothing, but it was presentable. His only possession was a cane. It might even be a weapon.

Next to the headmaster was a human woman. Blonde hair that was neatly cared for and tied in a proper bun at the back with a braid on her right side, green eyes that tried to be as calm as Ozpin, yet felt lacking when compared to her senior. She wore a long-sleeve top with large cuffs that ended in pleats at the wrists, a black high-waist skirt with buttons contrasting, heels that gave her some height, black stockings, and a cape that ended in a rather impractical way. All in all, her posture was that of a person who was resolute and certain, which could mean inflexible. He saw no weapons on her.

"Professor Ozpin." Amber greeted on instinct. "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise, Amber." Ozpin let out a small smile. "Qrow, I hope you care to explain all of… this. The vague message you sent me wasn't exactly very telling."

"Well, in a nutshell, Amber got attacked and her was almost stolen." Qrow gestured to Shockwave. "Luckily, this guy was around and saved her. Granted, she may be a bit drained and may still have a bit of a virus, but she's alive."

"I see." Ozpin regarded the former Cybertronian. "I'm the headmaster of Beacon Academy. I am Ozpin."

"And I'm the deputy headmistress of Beacon." The blonde woman came next. "My name is Glynda Goodwitch."

"Shael Watson." Shockwave cordially greeted.

Ozpin observed the position that the maiden and the Decepticon were in. There was no spoken question, but there was denying that there was questioning stare?

The emotionless scientist considered his next words. He could just go with the straightforward approach and state his exact reason for doing what he was doing. His logical side told him to do so anyway. Another part of his logic stated that maybe it was time to do something completely out of left field, as the saying went.

By now, his behavior had likely been conveyed via his behavior. What better way to defy expectations than by simply speaking in a way unbecoming of him? This would not only have people questioning his nature, but also questioning their judgements of him. Whether these people would become his allies or not, he needed to remain three steps ahead of everyone.

"We have recently become engaged." Shockwave remained indifferent even as he spouted complete nonsense.

The reaction was exactly as he had predicted. Ozpin's expression, though hardest to read, did change with a slight raising of the eyes. Glynda's reactions wasn't too far off from her boss's expression, though she looked somehow offended. Qrow looked confused. Amber looked the worst with a looked that screamed horrified and embarrassed.

It was time for the punchline.

"That was a joke." Shockwave said next.

A moment of silence.

"Hehe." Qrow snickered lightly. "So you're not a complete iceberg."

"T-that wasn't a funny joke." Amber smacked his chest. "If you say that to the wrong people, it will cause trouble."

"In any case," Glynda regained her composure. "If you could let Amber down, we can do a thorough investigation of Amber's physical status."

A patient table was set up along with various other electronic equipment. It looked satisfactory enough. The cyborg Faunus gently placed Amber down, viewing her no different than he had when he first cared for her.

"Thank you again for saving my life." Amber grasped the sleeve that covered his prosthetic arm. "I know I've said it before, but I truly mean it."

"... you are welcome." Shockwave humored her once.

"That sounded… alien coming from you."

"Do not expect if often."

Amber let go of his sleeve, though she continued to stare at him. It was a look that he wasn't sure how to classify.

He watched as Glynda eased the Fall Maiden into a reclined position. Then the blonde teacher injected a sedative, causing the young woman to fall into a sleep. From there, monitoring equipment was put at the ready. Her condition was stable, but she would need to be monitored for the time being.

"Now that we're done here, let us talk." Ozpin gestured to follow. "This way."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Ozpin had taken his seat while being flanked by Glynda on one side and Qrow on the other side. At the front of the desk was the man called Shael Watson.

This man was more than he appeared. That should have been an obvious conclusion given the man's physical nature. He was Faunus for one thing, something that already alienated him in some respects. Secondly, he had cybernetics where normal flesh and blood should be. Third, his overall physical presence was not lacking, and it might be safe to say that this man could handle some punishment.

More importantly than how he looked and appeared physically was what could be seen in his eyes, and what the headmaster could see was very little. Two blood-red eyes, one living, one cybernetic, both of them so unfeeling. In some ways, it was worse than looking into the eyes of the Creatures of Grimm. With the Grimm, they gave off their own vibe, that of hatred, anger, aggression, all the negative emotions exaggerated. That was how they worked. With this man, there was nothing, just a face waiting for what was to come.

Even his soul, the very source of where his power came from, seemed like a husk of what was humane. The only reason not to view him as a full person was because the fact that he could wield aura meant that somewhere deep down, he had to have a soul, and that was not desperation trying to rationalize. It was just a fact of life on Remnant.

"Qrow has informed me of all that he saw." Ozpin declared as he did a quick read-over of the messages sent to him. "But now that the man who saved Amber is here, I thought it necessary to ask for your side of the story."

"You want to know my motive." Shael rephrased the question.

Well, he certainly had a way with discerning the true meaning of the words. He certainly gave off the aura of intelligence and experience.

"You catch on quickly." Ozpin complimented. "Yes, your motive is in question now that you know what Amber is."

Shael sat just as straight and at-attention as he had when he first took his seat. There was absolutely no change in his posture, his face, or his soul. One could only guess that he was processing his thoughts to verbalize an answer, which he did in a mere second.

"It was logical." Shael confirmed as if no explanation was required.

"Logical?" Ozpin asked.

"I told you that's what he would say." Qrow muttered.

"Qrow, please." Glynda's scolding tone sounded.

"I will be upfront with who I am." Shael began to take control of the conversation. "I am a… man of science. Emotions have no place in my world. Everything that I have done, everything that I do now, and everything that I will do is measured by rationality and logical action."

Ozpin had come upon certain individuals who claimed to be detached from emotions, but few could actually back up what they said, yet this one felt more than genuine. This felt like the true example of coldness.

"Saving the Fall Maiden's life was simply logical to my own perspective." Shael blinked one time. "She is powerful, skilled, and has much potential. Having her as an ally is beneficial."

That was blunt while also subtle, Ozpin realized. An ally was only the obvious benefit, but the more hidden power was in the interactions that would follow. Yes, the Fall Maiden had power, but she was inexperienced and naive, and that made for an impressionable mind if one played their cards right.

Or maybe it was his own thoughts playing tricks on him. He would let this go for now. He needed to approach this as an "innocent until proven guilty" situation.

"That being said, if you wish me to join your side, then I need a compelling reason to do so." Shael stated with finality. "What have I to gain from working with you?"

"What do you want for starters?" Ozpin queried, even preparing for an answer that could either be a lie or only partially true. "That would give me an idea on what I can offer."

"What I want?" Shockwave took only mere seconds to conjure a response. "I want access to resources to conduct my research. Recently, I have been forced to sacrifice my lab due to unforeseen circumstances. For that, I require a new laboratory."

"May I ask what sort of research you do?" Ozpin felt a bit uneasy.

"Biology, biotechnology, engineering, chemistry, name any scientific field, and if I do not know, then I can learn quickly."

Ozpin let the wheels in his head turn. Did this man truly have what he claimed? If he did, then the headmaster knew that he couldn't possibly let go of such a knowledgeable person. Modern science was becoming the new power in the world. As much as magic and aura was powerful, science would find new ways to equal or surpass the powers of the past and present. Having a leg-up in this field might just be a trump card.

"Unfortunately, I cannot really verify what you say for you have absolutely no credentials whatsoever. As far as Remnant is concerned, you are merely another citizen, and nothing else."

"Your worries are understandable, but consider carefully." Shael maintained professionalism. "You fight the Creatures of Grimm, and if Mankind had been strong enough to destroy the Grimm, they would have, yet still they control much of the known world. Why is that? Surely, unintelligent monsters cannot amount to much in the end. No, you are fighting someone who controls the Grimm, and if this war has gone on since the beginning of Mankind's existence, then your opponent is not to be trifled with."

Scratch that, this Faunus had some handy deduction skills. Most people could simply write the Grimm off as little more than unintelligible beasts, yet seemed to forget that the Grimm were still alive even after thousands of years of war and conflict.

"To that end, you require any and all advantages you can get your hands on." Shael paused to let that sink in. "I can offer you game-changing sciences that could very well turn the tide of your war in your favor. However, the same could be said for whoever controls the Grimm."

"Meaning what, exactly?" Glynda couldn't sound more tense.

"If whoever controls the Grimm were to extend an offer which allows me to accomplish my goals faster, then I will take it." Shael pointed out. "I do not care which side ends up the victor so long as my goals are fulfilled."

Now this was quite a declaration. A man uncaring to the war, just what he wanted. That was selfish yes, but it was insightful all the same. While it didn't sit well with the veteran huntsman, getting this man to cooperate wouldn't be impossible.

 _If he claims to be as logical as he says, then I need to convince him that joining our side is not only more profitable for us, but for him as well._ Ozpin cranked the gears inside his head. _And I think I know how._

"Mister Watson." Ozpin addressed the cyborg. "If you promise to support our side, then I will fulfill any request that you ask of me."

"Ozpin." Glynda's distress could be heard.

"Any request that I ask?" Shael repeated the question for certainty. "You may reconsider that once I make the request."

"No, I don't think that I will." Ozpin rebutted back. "You see, when it comes to Mankind and the Faunus against the Creatures of Grimm, I want the former to win, and I'm willing to go to extreme lengths if need be."

Shael looked unconvinced. "The opposing side could just as well offer me the same thing."

"However, the difference between us and them is that unlike them," Ozpin argued with a bit of emotion, "We fight to keep the world intact so that it may continue to evolve. They fight to see the world burn down, the good and the bad. This world was not created only to be obliterated. It's only logical to assume that since this world was created, then it wasn't meant to be destroyed."

"I see."

Shael closed his eyes as if in deep thought. This was not going to be an easy case to win. He wasn't dealing with someone who could be swayed with emotions; the only true weapons he had were resources and a better mission statement, provided that he worded the latter in just the right manner.

Right now, the ultimate outcome was no longer his to influence. Frankly, he was unclear as to what he controlled in this debate. Did he even have any control to begin with, or was he merely being led to an ending that would not get him to the destination?

To make things worse, he'd lied about Salem. She didn't want to destroy the world, at least not permanently.

"What are the caveats of joining?" Shael inquired after some time.

 _This may be his acceptance._ Ozpin thought. _If it is, then I'll take it. Though I find it strangely accepting._

"As you know, Beacon Academy is a facility that teaches warriors to become huntsmen and huntresses. Should you meet my requirements, you will need to be instated as a professor of this academy, and as a professor under me, you will be granted the authority of a huntsman and enjoy all the rights and privileges that come with it along with the responsibilities. As long as you can do this, any and all requests you have will be met in a timely manner."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **Combat Simulator Room**

Glynda Goodwitch felt extremely against this entire thing. She understood Ozpin's desire to win against Salem, but just what measures would he take?

This Shael Watson spelled bad news all over. His mere presence felt threatening in of itself. That being ignored, he just screamed dangerous, maybe even evil. She couldn't find any rationality that would allow her to have a positive image of him, especially not with him so indifferent.

Whatever her feelings on the matter, the decision had been made to give a test. First would be a simple combat test. Brilliant or not, being a huntsman was the bottom line at Beacon, and every member of the faculty had to be a competent fighter at minimum, preferably a skilled fighter.

Right now, they were testing him with drones, set to the highest difficulty possible. The man had insisted that nothing be held back. It was a request, and one he made without a thought of consideration. Either he was really good or he was just bluffing.

Now watching from above in a control booth, Glynda's analytical skills began to come into play as the simulation began.

The first opponents were a mix of ranged and melee drones, each programmed with combat techniques meant to test advanced final year students. A normal final year would have to pray for a miracle to get through, and even the gifted and skilled would need to work hard. An experienced huntsman would be able to fight them off with ease.

Shael's first move was to merely adjust his body enough to dodge the attacks, leaving very little space between himself and whatever blasts and blades were sent his way. Then one of his arms transformed into a massive cannon. The sound was unlike anything Glynda had ever heard and it's shots were powerful. Any drone touched by it glancing or direct rendered them unable to continue fighting. His shots were accurate, and not once did he waste what he used.

His gunplay was not only fascinating to watch, but so was his physical combat style. As his physical stature suggested, he used a strength-oriented method, though he wasn't lacking for speed. If anything, it was surprising to see that he was playing to his own strengths very well while also trying to make sure that his weaknesses were covered in some way.

His movements were fluid as he changed opponents.

As he progressed, Glynda only had one complaint: aura use. His use of aura was minimal. She wondered if he had any training with it. His use of it was almost non-existent, almost as if he was only using it as a means to shield himself. Was that intentional? Did his approach rely on it?

Shael punched a drone square in the chest, shattering it to pieces, then used his cannon to absorb shots from another. He then sprinted to use his cannon as a battering ram and knocked two more to the ground before creating searing holes with two more well-placed shots. The execution was ruthless, uncompromising.

"Not bad." Qrow complimented while holding his flask. "The guy looks like he's got experience on his side. I thought he said that he wasn't about fighting."

"I know a warrior when I see one, Qrow." Ozpin's eyes watched, though he listened to the scythe-wielder. "You surely knew from looking too."

"His aura use, that's what I'm worried about." Glynda voiced her concerns. "There's almost nothing to it."

"Then we'll find out the reasons for it." Ozpin reasoned. "I've no doubt that he's keeping things from us. Who doesn't have their secrets?"

"Ozpin." Glynda huffed. "I wish you didn't make these decisions like this."

A new set of drones came onto the scene, but this time, he didn't fight them. He simply tapped his prosthetic arm and suddenly the drones ceased all hostile aggression and returned to their stations.

"I guess that's one more confirmation of his abilities." Ozpin noted as he sipped his coffee. "Hacking."

"Why aren't you more worried about this, Ozpin?" Glynda pressed. "Doesn't this bother you at least a little bit?"

"Yes, but I'm willing to give the benefit of a doubt to this one." Ozpin explained. "You should too, Glynda."

"It's kind of a moot point, Glynda." Qrow butted in with his two cents. "Might as well give it up. You know what Oz is like when he's got his mind set."

"..." What else could she say? "...fine, but only for now."

Glynda couldn't convince her superior this time, not that she had an easy time convincing him of any opinion that was her own. She could only rely on her own intuition, on what she felt, and she knew where she stood.

A few more rounds of combat testing followed, each of them done in a timely manner and with divergent methods each time. It soon became clear to the three of them couldn't complain about his skills in a fight. He was more than competent. He was exceptional, or at least had the potential to become exceptional.

"Qrow, your thoughts?" Ozpin asked the veteran to his side.

"Experienced, controlled, volatile, a bit to brutal for my tastes, but it works." Qrow seemed impressed if his tone was reliable. "Not perfect, but what is?"

"Glynda?" Ozpin venture for her opinion next.

"I'm of a like mind with Qrow." Glynda couldn't believe she would say that. "Aura control excluded."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **After the physical test…**

"Now I require a test of your knowledge." Glynda heard Ozpin say. "I need you to show my your knowledge base so that I may assign you a position accordingly."

"I already have something prepared." Shael simply took out his scroll, toyed with it, then put it away. "You should receive it now."

From his desk, Ozpin found that a massive file had been sent to him, remembering that Shael had likely hacked into his scroll, and when he opened it, essays, data, graphs, statistics, diagrams, charts, reports, and video feeds could be found within. Despite the content, all of them operated under a single title.

Biological Replication.

Glynda could only catch a peek as Ozpin quickly perused through the essay, but she did pick out some subjects relating to fossilized remains, DNA, and chemical structures. The document was written not in a way that would be acceptable as an essay for colleges, but it was certainly professional in its wording and subject matter, but it wasn't complicated to read. A normal person might not be able to understand all the technicalities, but there was enough information for the big ideas to be received.

"Impressive." Ozpin complimented. "Very detailed, very convincing. Am I to assume that this is applicable?"

"It is." Shael nodded. "All I require are tools and equipment. Give me those, and I can create assets for Beacon to fight the Grimm."

Not a trace of an arrogant tone, only a confident one. This man truly believed in himself in full. Or was it confidence? Confidence indicated emotions, and emotions didn't appear to have an impact here.

"Still, as well-presented as this is, I will require something that has substance." Ozpin had made a decision. "If I give you what you require to work, how soon can you get to work?"

"Immediately." Shael responded.

"Then I welcome you to the team."

Glynda only watch as the two men shook hands. She still had her doubts.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"You seem distrustful towards me." Shael spoke to her as they walked. "I unsettle you."

"In some ways." Glynda conceded, getting the feeling that denial was pointless.

"You question my methods, my motivations." He deduced further.

"If you want me to be honest, then yes, I do." She kept her eyes ahead.

"Your caution is understandable, but know this: wars are brutal, wars are underhanded, wars are bloody. Anyone who participates in a war does not leave innocent, and your superior knows this. Knowing this, what does it matter what method is used so long as results are produced?"

Glynda tried to ignore these words. The ends did not justify the means, and anyone who said that was either delusional, heartless or both. The actions always mattered as much as the end result, otherwise the world wouldn't be what it was now.

"As the protectors of the world, the means matter to us greatly. We are the ultimate heroes of this world. As such, our conduct must reflect the very best of what we all have to offer."

"The very best?" Shael sounded like those words were alien. "Or your definition of the very best?"

"Are you trying to make a point?" Glynda stopped walking to face her newest charge. "If you are, I would appreciate straightforwardness."

"A point that I am trying to make?" Shael's eyes trained on her. "It would be illogical for me to try and persuade you. Your viewpoint is starkly different from mine."

"I see." Glynda backed down.

Their conversation over, she resumed her job of showing him to where his new lecture hall was supposed to be.

Professor Shael Watson. Ozpin was currently in the process of making a file in the event that they had to provide credentials to anyone, and like it or not, he was a member of Beacon's teacher ranks.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **BEACON ACADEMY**

 **TEACHER PROFILE**

 **Name: Shael Watson**

 **Aliases: Shockwave**

 **D.O.B.: August 31th, 49 AGW (After the Great War)**

 **Gender: Male**

 **Nationality: Atlesian**

 **Species: Faunus**

 **Laterality: Right**

 **Height: 6' 6"**

 **Weight: 310 lbs.**

 **Vision: 20/2**

 **Blood Type: O-**

 **Eye Color: Red**

 **Hair Color: Amethyst Purple**

 **Build: Athletic**

 **Aura Level: High**

 **Semblance: Undiscovered**

 **SUMMARY PROFILE:**

 **Shael Watson's main field of work resides in the scientific community with most of his endeavors constituting personal projects which promise to be inventive and innovative. His particular focuses include but are not limited to engineering, biology, and weapons development. His natural talent and skill in science combined with his rationality and genius-level intellect makes him a scientist with no equal.**

 **Watson also possesses incredible capabilities as a warrior, showing the training and experience of a veteran huntsman, and given enough time, he could become the most skilled huntsman in the world, although he has stated more than once that combat is not his strong suit. He prefers to let his scientific work fight his battles for him. This attitude, however, should not be confused with a fear of fighting.**

 **One of his most unique characteristics stems from his outer attitude. On the surface, he is apathetic, bored, and uncaring. Some have claimed this mask to be his true nature while others say it is a very convincing mask that hides a much deeper personality. Regardless, it is universally agreed upon that his words are reliable.**

 **END OF PROFILE**

* * *

 **Apologies for the slight delay, but school and work has been on the forefront of my schedule. In any event, we're at Beacon, and now it's almost time for the RWBY timeline to intersect. Keep in mind that this takes places some months before the events of V1.**

 **Next chapter, we get more introductions from the other staff members at Beacon. Further events I'm working out, including the setting up of a few more things, but I want to hear your suggestions. What do you think I could/should include in the next chapter? Are there any interactions with any RWBY characters that are a must-see for you?**

 **With all of that said, please review, favorite, and follow. I love hearing all of your ideas.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading.**

 _ **"Zeal will do more than knowledge."**_

 **William Hazlitt**


	8. Faculty Illogical, Students Logical

Chapter 8: Faculty Illogical, Students Logical

 **Beacon Academy**

 **Three days later…**

Shockwave's now-official status as a teacher of Beacon Academy came with it enormous responsibilities.

The main source of responsibility was to prepare himself as a teacher. Although he was a master in several fields, teaching had been something he had not done in some time. The last time he had taught was a long time ago, long before he became a full-time scientist. To readjust himself with the teaching environment, he requested talks with several teachers in order to get a feel for what was expected of him. Logic told him that he needed a basis from which to teach lessons. From there, he would formulate his own methods based on student feedback and responses.

Gathering all of his knowledge and trying to condense it into a course that was easy-to-follow as well as actually something worth learning was no easy task. Teenagers and young people were impatient in general, and he needed a way to garner attention and retain interest. The material needed to be educational while also being fascinating. Of course, what was considered fascinating was subjective, so that would come with practice and experience. There were certain materials that more than likely would favor a wider audience than others.

There was also the possibility that should the need arise, Shockwave would teach more than general science. He might be teaching specialized sciences that would be applicable to the work of a huntsman. That was a work in progress, not a certainty, as Ozpin had pointed out.

Another thing he had to attend to was to train as a huntsman. Science was his main source of work, and although tens of millennias of war had hardened him into a worthy warrior, he was fully aware that he was no master warrior. Being a teacher might be his official title, but at the end of the day, he needed to be a huntsman, or at least warrior on par or even better than a huntsman.

Ozpin had agreed to one weekly spar, which satisfied Shockwave. The man was the headmaster, and he was the best huntsman out of all of them. The man gave off the feel of someone who possessed few equals in combat, and no doubt the older man has experience with aura that he would find most beneficial. Whether he was on par with the likes of Megatron and Optimus Prime remained to be seen.

The third and final task was to set up his own lecture hall as he saw fit. Because none of the other teachers were nearly as capable as himself in the sciences, he was given free reign on how to set up his classroom, and as such, the former Decepticon wasted no time in requesting equipment and materials to begin his transformation of an otherwise dull classroom into a productive and advanced room of study.

The first thing to be considered was a three-dimensional holographic projector centered on the floor so that the entire room could see it. The classroom was moderately big, and as such, he needed a visual aid that would be seen to all people sitting in the classroom. This 3D hologram would be able to project images big enough for everyone to see regardless of where they were sitting. This was a technology that although fairly new to Remnant was available for commercial purchase.

The second item, or items more specifically were large LCD interactive screens in place of blackboards. It would be far less efficient to have to write and rewrite information on a blackboard when Shockwave knew he could transmit data instantly via his own processing functions. That way, he would conserve class time and it could also serve as yet another visual aid in the learning process. LCD screens were more commercially available yet still not enough schools used them. Why more didn't use them was confusing, illogical.

The third item pertained to the seats themselves. Although there were no separate desks in this lecture hall, for every seat, there were to be new computers installed into the desks. That way, more interactive learning could take place, although students did have the option to not use the computers. Each computer possessed a holographic keyboard and touch screen as well as a mouse.

The final item, and the most expensive were the additions of four massive glass tanks, each to house one of the four basic dust forms. Shockwave had specifically requested that raw dust be purchased because he intended to advance the holding tanks so that they could process and refined dust into any physical form needed be it powdery or crystal-like. Dust demonstrations were going to be a prevalent event in the classes moving forward.

All of the necessary classroom adjustments and additions would take at least a week and another week for the lecture hall to be fully ready with all the software and safety measures needed to be taken. Time wasn't a concern, however, as the school year had ended and the next year wasn't to start for another several months. In the meantime, the seniors had graduated the rest of the students were in the process of moving to their new dorms.

Additionally, Ozpin and the staff were in the process of selecting new students for the upcoming year. Surprisingly enough, the headmaster had asked for Shockwave's opinion on some of the first-years coming into the academy. That task would be done over the course of the summer break.

There were a lot of things to do now, yet the former Decepticon embraced his new role with everything that he had. The role of being a professor at Beacon Academy came with it perks and benefits. The pay was among the highest in all of Remnant for teaching; the perks were many, not all of them pertaining to being a huntsman. He wouldn't receive all those benefits yet seeing as he was on his trial run. He had until the end of the upcoming semester to prove his worth, and the scientist was not only confident, but certain that he would exceed expectations. He didn't earn Megatron's trust and respect simply by coasting along in his research. The warlord demanded results, very exceptional results.

 _I expect that Ozpin's expectations are nothing to scoff at._ Shockwave mused as he worked on his scroll. _He is more than he seems._

Shockwave wasn't sure how Ozpin had managed it, but according to the headmaster, all the equipment he needed would come within a few days. Then again, any headmaster of a huntsman academy likely wielded the power of an army. Anyone who gave it enough thought would realize that essentially, the headmasters wielded power like that of any army, and one of them had an army in the traditional sense as well as a huntsman academy.

 _James Ironwood._ Shockwave had to keep a close eye on that one. He controlled both an army of men and machines and the Atlas Academy.

Besides the classroom that he would be teaching in, he had been given his own office, and this one he intended to personalize himself. Actually, it was less like an office and more like a private laboratory hidden away. He doubted that he would be able to do any sort of testing on Humans or Faunus. If that sort of thing were found out to be happening at Beacon Academy, the entire institution would be the subject of the public's ire.

Even if Ozpin were to condone such actions, he had to know the risks.

But did Ozpin even care about things like that?

"I will need to ascertain what Ozpin will and will not do." Shockwave mumbled to himself as he worked. "That way I can persuade him to accept some of my more extreme experiments."

However, even before the experiments, he would need to build some necessities, the first of which was a ground bridge. To his dismay, dust only worked in this world, but not beyond its atmosphere. Therefore, using dust for space travel was impossible, but no matter, it could still be used to power a ground bridge. Building the teleportation device wouldn't be difficult. He had built a space bridge after all.

Even more importantly, the ground bridge wouldn't strictly just be something for the convenience of himself. Giving this technology to Beacon Academy would earn him some good will from Ozpin as well as more trust from all the staff. As far as Shockwave could see it, the idea of teleportation only existed in semblances, and even those were limited to a certain range. The ability to teleport anywhere on this world would be a major game-changer.

Of course, preliminary work would need to be done first. It was true that dust couldn't operate outside of this world, but that was ultimately a setback that wouldn't hinder him in the least. He had done research into many different kinds of power sources. Although energon was the primary source of power on Cybertron, the scientist had delved into alternative power sources such as the sun, the very atmosphere of Cybertron, even the very elements Cybertronians were composed of.

The reason he needed to find another power source was because in order to get a ground bridge to work right, he needed a detailed map of the world, and no matter how accurate maps were on this world, they was nothing compared to imagery from space. If he could launch some probes and satellites into space, then he could map the world fully and then he would be able to go anywhere at any time.

In short, he had a lot of work to do.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Professor Bartholomew Oobleck, at the request of the new hiree of Beacon Academy, was giving instructions, or as best as he could.

This man, Shael Watson as he introduced himself was nothing short of a mystery that needed to be solved. Just from his mannerism and behavior, the green-haired professor could instantly see that this man had a great deal of knowledge, and not the kind that was kind or pleasant to hear. To a normal person, this very discovery could lean to unease and uncertainty, but the teacher of history disagreed. As disagreeable as things could be in this world, if one never explored, one would never be able to truly understand.

"I hear you're quite the prodigy in science." Bartholomew started the conversation off. "If I may ask, where did you study?"

"I did not study at an institution." Shael, standing across from him, told him neutrally. "Virtually all of my knowledge comes directly from actual field experience and hands-on applications I did not study proper terminology and traditional scientific methods until much later."

"I see. It's unorthodox to say the least, but it's not a bad method at all." Bartholomew put a hand to his chin. "In fact, history often points to those outside the normal chain of thought being some of the innovators and inventors."

"That is only logical." Shael agreed with him. "Normality is merely another term for conformity and obedience."

"Although that is subject to debate, I can understand where one might see that." The good doctor found himself quite intrigued with this conversation. "But why do you say that?"

"Humans and Faunus are ruled by emotions." Shael stated with his arms gesturing a bit. "Those emotions compel everyone to act in the name of survival. Happiness is satisfying desire. Fear is the fight against losing something important. Anger is when a perceived wrong is committed. Emotions lead people to do things that act against the nature of logic."

"True, very true." Oobleck commented.

"Therefore, if one was to suppress or erase emotions, these weaknesses can no longer hold one back." Shael concluded. "The reason I do not conform is because I am outside mere emotions. I have moved beyond such pettiness."

So this man was clearly a person who thought with his head almost all the time and rarely with his heart. There certainly was merit to such a way of conduct, but they weren't without problems. If it were as simple as just pushing aside emotions in favor of logical and rational thoughts, then the world would be a much different place.

"If history has taught me one thing, it's that emotions have a powerful place in our world." Oobleck replied back. "You might not want nor need emotions, but most people, so take care to realize that disregarding emotions is a dangerous thing."

"Your reasoning does carry some logic." Shael admitted without much resistance. "I will contemplate this more."

Bartholomew Oobleck decided one thing on his opinion of Shael Watson: he was definitely going to be a good teacher. Why was he going to be a good teacher?

Because he had flexibility on his side.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Professor Peter Port took note of the state of the lecture hall. With so many fancy gadgets and gizmos in this room, it was amazing that it was somehow still organized. He didn't even know how half of this stuff worked, but it was all impressive-looking nonetheless.

This newest member of the faculty left a remarkable first impression. His imposing figure left those without a mastery of their fear shaking at least on the inside if not also on the outside. Adding to that, the man was a Faunus. Beacon didn't see too many teachers that were Faunus, so there was that.

And those cybernetics? Interesting too.

"You're quite the busy body." Peter attempted to strike up a conversation. "I can't say that many teachers have this much class preparations to do."

"I intend to make use of any and all available technology." Shael didn't face his fellow teacher as he spoke. "What is illogical is that none of the other faculty have taken full advantage of this technology."

"Technology is useful, but we must be careful that we do not rely upon it." Peter voiced his own opinion. "A huntsman may possess the most powerful technological weapon, but at the end of the day, the most powerful weapon is a person's body and mind."

"That mindset perfectly exemplifies the inability to be innovative and flexible." The purple-haired man countered as if he had expected this answer. "Where many people equivocate the use of technology to be a sign of complacency and reliance, I see the next step in the evolution of this world."

"There's no denying that technology is the future." Peter agreed while playing with his moustache a bit. "However, that future you speak of will only happen with the right mindset and the proper persuasion."

"Is the right persuasion not surrounding us now?" The answer of the Faunus came in such a blunt manner. "Humans and Faunus have existed for thousands of years in tandem with the Creatures of Grimm. Despite the many advancements that have been achieved, the Grimm are still a threat, and that is because those 'advancements' amount to little more than swinging a hammer in a more refined manner than of times gone by."

Peter understood the meaning behind the words. This man believed that there had been no actual change in the world, only that the world had taken what it knew and found merely another angle to use said knowledge. In short, using a slightly different path and making small adjustments along the way to reach the same objective, not a completely knew path that would lead to a new result.

"If change were that simple, we would've done it by now." Peter felt the need to bring this up. "We might not be doing the best we could be doing, but it's better than doing absolutely nothing."

"If this is what we choose to do, then we had best change our attitude soon." Shael sounded completely unconvinced. "Otherwise we will not survive another millennium. We learn to adapt fast and survive, or we refuse to change and die."

Peter Port now had a more complete opinion on Shael Watson. The man was blunt, even cruel in his words, but they weren't without reason.

He would be an interesting teacher.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Glynda Goodwitch was now more agitated than ever. She wasn't sure what in the Gods' names was Ozpin thinking when he had hired on their newest member.

Shael Watson seemed to possess absolutely no sense of tact or politeness in any sense. He simply said what was on his mind without regard for the consequences that could result. It was fortunate that the man didn't have to make any public appearance anytime soon, otherwise there would be trouble.

Right now, they were arguing about more secretive things.

"If we were to release to the public that there were four maidens wielding magic, it would be chaos." Glynda sounded like she was talking to a child. "That's the reason why we haven't told anyone outside of our group."

"What will happen when the public finds out?" Shael challenged her calmly. "Do you really believe people will take kindly to the fact that four women wield power that could decimate entire armies in a single stroke?"

"The public is completely unaware of the maidens, and the only knowledge of them come in the form of fairy tales and legends." Glynda just shook off his words and pressed her side. "It's been like this for hundreds of years."

"Nothing is eternal, and sooner or later, this so-called peace we all live in will shatter." Shael, while having a conversation with her, was working on wiring. "Calling it peace is an absolute lie. You all mistake peace for quiet."

"That may be, but quiet is more preferable to war." The blonde-haired woman felt oh-so perturbed. "War is when we have sunk to our worst."

"Or maybe war is simply the true way of how Humans and Faunus wish to resolve conflict." The man seemed to possess no end to his reasoning. "Why is it that war is such a prevalent event in history? Politics work only so long as sides are not threatened, but when that sense of cooperation is taken away, suspicion and conflict is all that remains."

"But not all conflict erupts into war. If that were the case as you've said, then we should've had so many more wars. Conflict doesn't automatically mean that weapons need to be drawn."

"Yet we are fully prepared to fight. What are the huntsmen academies besides personal armies of dangerous warriors serving a select few? What is a traditional army besides an unstoppable force meant to crush opposition? If war is not a way of solving problems, then why is it that we are always prepared to use it?"

"War is a last measure, not a first strike." Glynda struck back with more conviction. "We'd be fools to not be prepared for the worst."

"Now that is something that we can agree on." Shael said robotically. "You may not be as naive as I thought."

Glynda Goodwitch didn't like this man one bit. It was like he was saying that violence was the only true method that could keep the world going into the future. That wasn't true and that wasn't right.

Still, she wouldn't deny the fact that the conversation was stimulating, and perhaps she might be inclined to debate with him more in the future.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Hey check this out."

"What is it?"

"I found it on the front of the student page."

"Which is?"

"I'm getting there. Hold on."

Coco Adel, on a whim, had decided to check out the home page for students at Beacon Academy to see if there was anything interest going on. Her expectation was that there wouldn't be anything interesting.

"It looks like Beacon's got a new teacher." Coco pulled up the post. "Professor Shael Watson. He's going to be a science teacher next semester."

"Okay…" Velvet Scarlatina wasn't sure what to think. "What else is there?"

"Actually, it's a post for a job." Coca began to slide down to the bottom. "Whoa, that's a lot of lien."

"Lien?" Yatsuhashi Daichi questioned as he looked down at the scroll.

"It's a job you could say." Coca explained. "It looks like a mission to establish an outpost or something to that effect. Anyways, this thing comes with a hefty price tag, 4000 lien."

"What?" Velvet grabbed Coco's scroll in disbelief. "That can't be right."

"Not to disagree with you, Coco, but it's kind of hard to believe." Fox Alistair chimed in with his opinion. "That sounds a little too…"

"See? It's all there." Coco crossed her arms. "Now that sounds like an opportunity we can't afford to waste."

"We can't afford to waste?" Yatsuhashi questioned. "Or you can't afford to waste?"

"Hush you." Coco punched Yatsu lightly. "I didn't say anything."

"But you were thinking it." Fox said with amusement. "In any case, you want to check it out."

"Yeah, why not?" Coco shrugged. "The worst thing that happens is that it doesn't work out."

With only a bit of hesitation, team CFVY checked the classroom where the new teacher was located and set off to see just what this job was all about. It wasn't everyday that teachers actually offered rewards outside of a good word and some credits, so of course it was at least worth a look.

"This is the place." Coco double-checked her scroll and then the room number. "This place used to be empty. I've passed by this classroom and I haven't ever seen it being used. I wonder why."

"Well, we might as well go in." Yatsu mirrored everyone's thoughts. "No sense standing here asking questions."

Before any of them could open the door, they then heard a dull thumping sound, and all of them looked at each other in question. Everyone exchanged the same look of perplexity.

"Um…" Velvet tapped her fingers together.

"That was weird." Fox said cautiously.

"..." Yatsu just looked inquisitive.

"...anyway, let's just go in." Coco finished.

Coco once again moved to the doorknob, and then the sound of a weapon being discharged reached their ears. This put all of their nerves on edge. Coco felt her hands reach for her handbag. Yatsu's posture tensed. Fox's eyes began to dart all around. Velvet's bunny ears began to quiver.

"Alright, what's behind this door?" Coco decided to ignore any distractions. "Open… SESAME!"

They opened the door, and inside the classroom, there was a glowing purple orb smack-dab in the center of the room, suspended off the floor by a tech device resting flat. It looked like some kind of suspension field.

Aside from that interesting part, there appeared to be all kinds of neat gadgets in the room, all organized and stacked neatly. It looked like someone was trying to do a science experiment inside an incomplete science lab.

The only person in the room was who they all presumed to be the new professor. He was taller than all of them save for Yatsu and possessed quite the figure. There was no doubt he had strength in his body, but he didn't appear to be too bulky to move fast. His dress attire indicated a professional manner mixed with a sense of style: a coat of purple, grey, and black that seemed reminiscent of Atlesian culture but with details and intricacies matching that of Mistralian culture. The most outstanding feature were a pair of prosthetics in the place of where ears would normally be.

When his head turned to face him, they got yet another unusual sight: one eye was blood-red and natural while the other was cybernetic and the same color of his natural eye.

All of team CFVY had something to say mentally.

 _I'm already liking what I see._ Coco lowered her shades. _Good taste in clothing, an air of mystery, and VERY easy on the eyes._

 _A faunus._ Velvet couldn't help but be excited. _Maybe this will be better after all._

 _This man looks very dangerous_. Yatsu's instincts told him. _But if Professor Ozpin approves, then he must be trustworthy._

 _Huh, now that's not something you see often._ Fox couldn't help but stare. _But he does look badass enough._

"Team CFVY, correct?" A very baritone voice stated.

"Yeah, that's us." Coco grinned and pushed her shades up again. "And you must be Professor Shael Watson."

"Yes, I am, and your presence here tells me one thing." The professor shut down the experiment. "You are here concerning the job post."

"Yeah, actually. We wanted to see if it was legitimate." Coco said with a nod. "Are you seriously offering lien for this job?"

"Yes, I am, but before you even consider this job, you should know why lien are involved." The man's voice never deviated from being calm. "This mission is about setting up new technology for Beacon Academy. I would do this job myself, but the installation process is lengthy, and I cannot do this and defend against Grimm and expect ideal results."

"So basically, you're hiring students as guards." Coco summed up. "You need a team to watch your back while you get the new tech up."

"Aptly put, Ms Adel." Professor Watson responded. "But the lien is only one form of payment. If you wish it, you can forgo the credits in exchange for a weapon upgrade of your choosing."

"A weapon upgrade of our choosing?" Coco leaned in, now very interested. "As in for all of us?"

"Yes."

"And ANYTHING we want?"

"Yes."

Team CFVY could only look at each other for confirmation of their next course of action. So far, what they were hearing was promising, and the reward was very enticing.

"Just a few questions." Coco continued. "What sort of prep work do we have to do?"

"There are two things you need." The professor began. "The first is to bring all necessary items you require for effective combat. The second is any survival supplies necessary for three days of travel."

"It's that long?" Coco quirked up at this. "Three days?"

"As I have said, this is no easy task." Professor Watson restated. "A reward was required to make the mission worthwhile."

The professor retrieved a scroll from his pocket and slid it onto the nearby desk so that it could project a flat image of Remnant's landscape. A red dot, probably a marker, indicated a single spot that everyone knew well: Mountain Glenn.

"As I understand, Mountain Glenn was the sight of an attempt to expand beyond the borders of Vale." Professor Watson began his explanation. "I mean to set up an outpost here. Ozpin has said that this area requires the clearing of Grimm every year."

"And we'll be able to do that in three days?" Coco felt skepticism on the tip of her tongue. "It seems like a lot to do in such a short amount of time."

"You do not need to worry about the technical details. Should you accept, you simply have to keep the Grimm from destroying anything important. Additionally, we are not going to establish a full outpost, just simple preliminary markers so that it will be easier."

Coco crossed arms, closed her eyes, and tilted her head down to look at the floor as she thought about all the details she'd been given. Yes, it seemed like a good opportunity, but she needed one more thing before she could fully consent.

"Just out of curiosity professor." Coco readied her question. "Can you show us some of your tech? I see there's a lot of stuff, but everyone likes a good demonstration."

"Very well."

The professor tugged off the glove he wore on his left, and were surprised to see another prosthetic. At first, they all thought it was his hand, but then he drew back his entire sleeve to show that his entire arm was prosthetic, but disregarding the metal surface, it was shaped like a normal arm.

"You might wish to stand back." Professor Watson informed them all.

The entire team of second-year hunters took a step back half because of his serious tone, but also because of what they saw when they first entered. None of them were adept in advanced technology, so none of them would dare to question the teacher.

The professor fiddled with the device in the center of the room before standing back. He then held up his arm, and it transformed into an out of this world cannon, and the thing looked similar to its wielder: deadly.

 _Whoa, now that's AWESOME!_ Coco was impressed. _What giant gun isn't?_

 _That looks highly advanced._ Velvet noted the weapon's design. _Maybe that weapon upgrade isn't worth passing up._

 _This only intensifies his already intimidating demeanor._ Yatsu couldn't help but feel a little trepid himself. _Now that I reconsider it, I sense a warrior inside that wasn't before._

 _Okay, that thing looks dangerous._ Fox showed no fear, but he'd be a fool to dismiss what he was seeing. _I'd better watch this carefully._

The weapon began to glow with an eerie purple glow. At the same time the entire atmosphere in the room seemed to shift, like energy in the room was being gathered into the weapon. After about ten seconds, a sound emitted from the weapon, a firing sound that clearly had no relation to any dust-related weapon. The suspender at the center caught this blast, and then disappeared. Even more confusing was the fact that there appeared to be no sign of light from where the blast was caught.

"So… what happened?" Coco scratched her head.

"Watch." Shockwave retrieved a pen from his hand.

He tossed the pin into the device, and then it disappeared without a trace. It was like it was teleported.

"Wait, WHAT?!" Coco approached to get a closer look.

"Stop." Professor Watson ordered.

Coco just heeded his words without so much as a hint of rebellion. For some reason, his voice demanded her attention.

"That is called a black hole." He explained. "In the simplest of terms, it sucks all objects into itself, including light. Nothing can escape a black hole."

"I've never heard of that before." Velvet raised her hand tentatively. "Not even in the advanced scientific community."

"That is because black holes exist in space beyond the world of Remnant." Shael broke it down. "But I know what is out there because I have spent much of my research looking beyond this world."

"Stop right there, professor." Coco raised her hands. "I just got confirmation that you're a genius. Unless there's another team that's got this gig, sign us up."

"Coco, you didn't consult us." Velvet ventured nervously.

"C'mon, you guys all feel the same way." Coco egged them all on. "I know that you want cool new gadgets, except maybe Yatsu."

"I might consider it." Yatsu voiced.

"Fox?" Coco inquired.

"I'm in." Fox's answer was immediate.

"Well then, it's settled." Coco turned back to the teacher. "Professor Watson, we'd be glad to take this mission on."

"You do not need to address me by my title." He conveyed to them all.

"Is there another name you prefer?" Coco tilted her head.

"You may call me Shockwave, my code name."

"If you say so... Professor Shockwave."

* * *

 **Well, there you have it. A glimpse into the chemistry and dynamic between Shockwave and some of the the faculty and students of Beacon. Admittedly, it wasn't an easy thing to do, but it was fun all the same. Between now and when I get to the events of Volume 1, I will be deepening relationships and all of that.**

 **To the Guest reviewer who asked if there will be romance, I'm saying no as of right now. I've got no reason that's good enough to give a romance to Shockwave. Right now, his character and the current state of all relationships that he has do not warrant romance. If a romance is included, then it would be because it enhances the story. Adding it for the sake of romance is not my style. Also, this story is ultimately about Shockwave and how his inclusion in RWBY will shake things up from the canon storyline.**

 **As always, feedback is greatly appreciated as well as the support. Ideas and other stuff regarding the story are always welcome.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed reading.**

 _ **"Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you'll start to see a big difference in your life."**_

 **Yoko Ono**


	9. Mountain Glenn is Illogical

Chapter 9: Mountain Glenn is Illogical

 **Three days later…**

Shockwave had given Team CFVY three days to prepare for the journey, which gave him just enough time to consider his plan and try to conceive of every single scenario possible given his current knowledge of the situation. They had another hour or so before they needed to meet on the landing pad, so he was going over all of his research one last time.

Mountain Glenn was the site of one of Vale's attempts to push for more land, which was a logical choice given that the kingdom would eventually need to push outside its natural boundaries if it was ever to beat back the Grimm, but there were inherent flaws with the original plan itself.

For one, not enough of a military or fighting presence was there during the attempted settling. Based on the images and video feeds he had requested from Ozpin, there was only a token force of huntsmen, huntresses, and military soldiers stationed, not nearly enough to protect the hundreds of workers as well as surveyors and other important personnel. Vale should have sent at least a batallion of soldiers and at least 50 hunters or so, ideally a hundred or more.

An expansion effort couldn't succeed without massive support and funding. This failed attempt lacked so many essential components, meaning that there must've not been a lot of faith placed to begin with. As understandable as it was, it was also an act of cowardice. If Mankind expected to expand its own borders by doing the same thing that they had been doing for thousands of years, which was running and hiding, then they were all insane.

The only thing that this information had done was lower his opinion of the Council of Vale.

In any event, he had procured the most recent surveillance of the region of attempted settlement. It remained largely unchanged in the years past, but he wanted to know which positions would be the most defendable. It was in his best interest to keep his students alive and well, which meant that at least seven hours of sleep was necessary, but nine to ten would be ideal. In order to ensure more cooperation, he would first find out what Team CFVY would agree to before a schedule was committed to.

Shockwave had considered packing the necessary food and liquid supplies for everyone, but it was then that he realized that he would pack what was logical, and while Team CFVY might be effective in combat, they were still illogical. Especially in this time of development, young adults could be... picky about what they ate, so he simply brought some cooking utensils.

He had reviewed some of their combat training logs as well as previous mission logs in order to get a read on what he was working with.

Coco Adel, the leader of the team, was straightforward. She was confident, and maybe arrogant in some cases. He was certain that it was her courage and daring that made her the leader. As far as the records showed, she seemed average in terms of strategy and tactics. Her combat was also a reflection of her own character. She chose sheer power above all else. Her handbag transformed into a minigun that few firearms could match in terms of rounds per minute. In short, she was very powerful, but extremely slow.

Fox Alistair, despite his name saying otherwise, was human. He was a close-quarters combatant, and he wasn't known to speak many words. He was supposed to be blind, but the fact that he was able to "see" that demonstration yesterday was puzzling. Did he have a semblance that granted him a sight? Was it his aura? Regardless, he was built to be fast, agile, and nimble, but he was restricted to close-quarters combat. He was no master strategist or tactician, but he seemed to have excellent instinct and was a quick-thinker.

Velvet Scarlatina, the only Faunus on the team, was a a bit more ambiguous. Although she was capable as an unarmed warrior, her fighting style indicated versatility and adaptability. Those traits did not appear to be the end game. A quick dive into her time at Beacon had him discover that she was working on a project to create weapon imitations with a camera. That kind of technological know-how wasn't something easily learned, and even if only in the early stages, the theoretical literature was sound. The girl had above-average intelligence.

Yatsuhashi Daichi was the the tank of the team. His physical presence alone would intimidate the majority of people, but he wasn't just about being a physical presence. He had proven to be able to withstand an immense amount of punishment, and his size betrayed his speed, which could come out of nowhere. Out of all the team, he was the most calm, the most rational, and he acted as a sort of parental figure for his team. That would make working with him simple and to the point, which was convenient to work with.

Their illogical parts notwithstanding, they would do well enough for this mission. They were amongst the top-rated of the now-second year class, not the best, but they could be with a little more effort.

Aside from his mission preparations, Shockwave had gotten a lot of personal things done. His personal office had been outfitted with the latest in computer technology as well as a private server for storing data. There were hundreds of thousands of encryptions. Without the proper shortcut methods, it would take even the most talented and skilled hacker hours, and that was assuming they could identify the many traps, security measures, and dead ends that had been placed. Also, a person needed to be fluent in Cybertronian in order to attempt a hack at all. The chances of a person actually getting into his secret data were extremely low, virtually zero.

The other thing set up in the office were lab tools. Although he was leaving his equipment out in the open, he would no doubt receive questions from Ozpin concerning the nature of his work. That explanation would be a long one, but the scientist wasn't concerned about his chances. If there was one thing that always made him concede was the necessity to destroy the Grimm.

The headmaster had sent him a packet on information via a private channel concerning the Grimm. He had yet to read it, but it looked like it would shed some light on the history and origins of the illogical monstrosities as well as anyone relevant to them. The title of the message made it quite clear that he was to never reveal the contents to anyone. Only his eyes would be privy to the details. He had also been told to not reveal the truth of the Four Maidens, and the only reason he was adhering to this was because he needed to cement a relationship between himself, his employer, and his coworkers. Once he had their trust, he would decide on how to use this information.

 _Ozpin keeps many secrets._ Shockwave had already deduced that much. _What else is he hiding, I wonder?_

Every sentient being was going to have secrets, and that was not debatable. If secrets weren't commonplace, there would be no need for lying or deception of any kind. However, Ozpin wasn't a normal person, so therefore, whatever secrets he carried were likely dangerous, and more likely, deadly to the people that he associated with. His students, the faculty, his other allies within the other huntsman academies, anyone who he kept close to him was at risk. The former Decepticon couldn't say that he was a part of that inner circle, at least not by bond. He was only part of it because circumstances… compelled him to be.

Shockwave filed away his questions about Ozpin and grabbed his supplies that he had packed. He had been careful to make sure his backpack had only what he needed and nothing more. Aside from basic food and water supplies, he also had acquired some specialized tools for his work during this mission. As the students weren't required to do any of the technical work, it fell to him to prepare himself.

Additional equipment had been packed into a bullhead, which was waiting on one of the landing pads. Because that aircraft was their mode of transportation, they would have to conceal it well lest they wish to spend days hiking back to Beacon Academy. Unfortunately, the mountains didn't provide much in the ways of camouflage, so the best thing to do was to hide it amongst the wreckage of the colonization project.

Shockwave slung his pack over his shoulder, checked his scroll to make sure he had the right program files ready to go. He would be doing a lot of hardware and software work. Starting from near-scratch was no easy task even with his superior knowledge and intelligence, and since he would be performing these duties alone, every minute would count.

"This is a logical move." Shockwave said to himself. "Although it will be laborious."

It would be just like working in the fields of war with Autobots firing at him. Those memories were plenty.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Come on, Coco!" Velvet called to her team leader. "We're going to be late!"

"You worry too much, Velvet." Coco brushed her teammate off. "We've got five minutes until the meeting time."

"It's called being early!" Velvet countered. "It's rude to make it late to an appointment."

When it came to priorities, Coco and Velvet had differing views on what to do. The former was more likely to put personal priorities and priorities of the team over all other things. Velvet leaned more towards priorities relating to others outside the team. It wasn't that she didn't think of the team, but she was less selfish. Given her nature, it was understandable, and was partially misguided.

"It's not like we're getting credit for this mission." Coco kept her pace. "This is for some cool bling for our weapons."

"But this mission is very serious." Velvet disagreed. "We're talking about new ground for huntsmen and huntresses to go on to fight against the Grimm. We're helping to establish that."

This was just one example of where their priorities were clashing. A selfish focus versus a selfless focus.

"Hurry up, you two!" Yatsuhashi yelled up ahead. "We have five minutes!"

"Have a little faith in us, Yatsu." Coco waved him off. "We've got this."

"Then how about we make a wager?" Fox replied with a question. "First one to get to the meeting spot gets first dibs on the weapon modification."

That little bit of motivation was more than satisfactory enough for all of them to take off at blazing-fast speeds. Motivation would only do so much though. Eventually, their own personal physical traits began to dictate the winner and losers. Velvet was the first to make it, followed by Fox, then Coco, and finally Yatsuhashi. Coco seemed bummed out. Yatsuhashi was accepting, no surprise. Fox was okay. Velvet was kind of excited.

The landing pad had a bullhead, but it wasn't a standard one. It looked like it had been modified beyond recognition of a normal grey. For starters, it had been painted white with the insignia of Beacon Academy and the Kingdom of Vale.

The professor was reviewing a map. When he spotted them, he nodded to them and urged them forward.

"You are all exactly thirteen seconds early." The teacher said to them.

"...is that a good thing?" Velvet questioned timidly.

Shockwave regarded them all. "Being early is good regardless of how much time. Saving time is logical. That being said, being earlier would have allowed to do last-minute checks. We leave immediately."

One by one, each of them settled into a seat within ship. Now that they were inside, the interior also looked different from the usual bullhead. It looked like the entire ship had been gutted save for the necessary seats and components. In its place were compartments and stored technology. It looked expensive and complicated, so they all did their best to not touch it if at all possible.

It took only a few more minutes for them to receive the go-ahead to power up and take off. They began to soar into the air, Beacon Academy growing smaller as they gained altitude and flew away towards the mountain ranges. Team CFVY had seen this view before, but it was still an amazing sight to take in.

"Autopilot engaged." A voice from the speakers sounded.

"Now that we are isolated, we can discuss the greater details." Professor Shockwave stepped out from the cockpit.

"More details?" Coco tilted her shades down. "What's so secret that we couldn't discuss them at the school?"

"Officially, you are all shadowing me as I do a typical hunting mission, and in a sense, that is not wrong." The professor grabbed his scroll while talking. "Unofficially, we are doing as I said when I first gave details, but there is more."

He flicked his device on, displaying a map of Mountain Glenn. Everyone huddled closer as he began to go into detail.

"In the original settlement plans of Mountain Glenn, there are some very unusual finds." The image was enlarged. "More specifically, some technology was left behind, aged no doubt, but still useful. Does Merlot Industries mean anything to anyone here?"

"Yes, actually." Velvet brokered in. "It was headed by Doctor Merlot; he was heading numerous research projects around advanced technologies."

"Correct, Miss Scarlatina. It was his technology that was supposed to power this new settlement." Their teacher pointed to a specific point on the map. "The government sector here was the center of this new technology."

"Government sector?" Coco decided to dive deeper. "It sounds more like a military base rather than a civilian residence."

"The official records do not speak of the whole incident." The Faunus man swiped his hand to get to another section on the map. "This is a record I pulled from the restricted files of Beacon Academy, courtesy of Ozpin."

"The headmaster gave you this, professor?" Yatsuhashi's interest had been piqued. "But why? What does it serve in regards to our mission?"

"The technology has been lying dormant for many years now." Professor Watson said. "Although surveys have shown the area to not be disturbed, we have reason to believe that this will become a staging point for future attacks against Beacon and Vale."

"So we're doing a clean sweep of the area." Fox chimed in, trying to sum up as best as he could. "Grabbing whatever was left?"

"Yes, but we are not to return it to Beacon. It was be repurposed for our mission, which is why this mission will be taking as long as I stated when we first discussed the plans."

All of Team CFVY exchanged glances. Now that there was more out in the open, they were all just a bit suspicious about what they were doing. Who else knew about the details of the mission besides themselves, Professor Watson, and Ozpin? Did the other teachers know about this? Would anyone else be allowed to know now?

"If you have concerns as to the legality and legitimacy of this mission, then your concerns are illogical." Professor Watson had already anticipated their thoughts somehow and had a way to respond. "This mission is secretive, nothing more, nothing less."

"No, it's nothing like that." Coco spoke up with a rare serious tone. "But I do have… concerns. If all of this is being done in secret, and if Vale is to be attacked… who are we facing? I mean, against the Grimm, there's never been a need to do all of this."

It was a question that required an answer, and at this point, it was too late for the question to be dodged or ignored. That would only make things more complicated.

Professor Watson eyed them all. "In the coming year, all the huntsman academies may be attacked. They are symbols of power that represent Mankind and the Faunus's sword and shield. The destruction of that symbol would send a impactful message."

"But why?" Velvet asked, with naive confusion painting her expression. "What does anyone stand to gain from this destruction?"

"There are those that would simply seek their own power by tearing down the old ways in order to make way for a new order." Shael's eyes looked out the window. "Make no mistake. They exist out there, and they will do anything to have their way, anything at all."

This was a vague answer, but there was no denying that this man believed it to be true. The four teenagers couldn't say that they believed it themselves, but it wasn't like his words were completely impossible. If there was anything to say about Remnant, the impossible could very well become possible. The ability to wield aura and the power of semblances were proof of that, and those two things were still making the impossible possible. The idea of someone trying to tear down the world to build a new one? Possible, but still difficult.

"Professor, if I may?" Yatsuhashi raised his hand politely. "Why are you telling us this? This sounds like something that should be kept under wraps."

"It is illogical to keep secrets from the future protectors of the world." Professor Shockwave was as monotone as he had been this entire conversation. "Besides, this is not something that is secretive in any sense. All one has to do is put together the pieces that are widely available."

Maybe their enigmatic professor was using too many riddles for the liking of Team CFVY, but he did give them something to think about. If there were indeed people who would target huntsmen and huntresses as well as the academies, then they had to be stopped.

"Here is a piece of evidence that you should reevaluate." The professor turned to head back into the cockpit. "Why do the Grimm still dominate vast expanses of the world still after thousands of years of co-existence alongside Humans and Faunus?"

The cargo area was quiet as four pairs of eyes darted to each other. If that was a lecture of sorts, then it was successful in making them think.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Once the bullhead had landed, they were all quick to scope out the area. The whole settlement area was reported to have many Grimm, so despite the black monstrosities not swarming them as they disembarked, they all had their weapons at the ready for when they would be attacked. Their presence would no doubt be sensed swiftly. They had landed on a cliff. It was a sizeable drop and the only way to get to ground level was a spiral path opposite of the drop. As they didn't possess climbing gear, they would have to be mindful of their approach to the bullhead.

Shockwave held his cannon at the ready. "Once we reach the structures, stick close to each other. Do not separate unless absolutely necessary and take no unnecessary risks. The government sector will take time to reach."

"Got it." Coco nodded, then faced her team. "You heard the man. Keep tight formation, and don't go being a hero."

The three remaining members of CFVY gave their leader a look at the last part of her statement.

"What?" Coco asked. "What did I say?"

"Um, you do all sorts of flashy things in combat." Velvet spoke up first. "So…"

"It's called being a badass." Coco lowered her shades. "There's a difference between that and being a hero."

"That's a matter of opinion." Fox spoke softly.

"Understood." Yatsuhashi just acknowledged his leader.

The five of them descended from the cliff in a spiral. It was a quiet few minutes of time. It might be a sunny day, but this place wasn't a bundle of flowers and rainbows. The sight of Vale's failure was on clear display for all of them to witness. It was a testament to a struggle against the Grimm that had been lost. It reminded them all that for all of Mankind's achievements, they had a long ways to go.

The first encounter came in the form of Beowolves, a pack of them. They weren't much of a challenge as Shockwave just killed them all with perfect accuracy. They hadn't even gotten within physical fighting range when dark bodies began to litter the ground.

"Well, that was anticlimactic." Coco lowered her minigun. "But nice shooting, teach."

He nodded, then pointed towards the east. "This way."

The next hour was spent hiking through the remnants of the settlement and taking of Grimm along the way. Occasionally, they would stop to scout a collection of buildings for anything potentially useful. Aside from a few little odds and ends, there wasn't anything worth much, which they had all expected more or less.

"There's one thing I don't understand." Fox began as he looked around. "Grimm come in all shapes and sizes. The smalls ones I know are hard to see, but how do such large Grimm hide?"

"Have you ever tried to chase animals before?" Velvet was the first to offer a solution. "They're trained to survive in their environment. They could spend hours simply sitting in one place while you go right past them. Grimm are no different. They might be hostile towards Humans and Faunus, but they act just like normal animals. Normal animals and Grimm are known to get alone fine except in the case of territorial disputes."

"So any Grimm could be on our six and we wouldn't even know it?" Fox wished he hadn't heard that answer. "Great, way to make me paranoid."

"Chill out, Fox." Coco shifted her minigun to look over her shoulder. "Unless you haven't been paying attention to Port's classes, then there's nothing to worry about."

"Coco, you don't listen to those classes either." Yatsuhashi brought forth his own observations.

"Hush, Yatsu." Coco scolded him through her shades. "Don't ruin my moment."

"Nevertheless, Miss Scarlatina is not wrong." Shockwave didn't stop his pace. "The Grimm are, in essence, nothing more than animals, only with a unnatural desire to see Humans and Faunus killed. The question is why."

"All the theories floating around are kind of wacko." Coco shrugged her shoulders. "Cursed animal spirits, from dust to fully-formed monsters, animals transforming into Grimm, the list goes on. None of them have concrete evidence."

"But all things have to come from somewhere." Shockwave addressed the broader topic. "All things come from somewhere, intentionally, accidentally, or by chance. The Grimm are no different. That being said, the fact that Grimm are created to act like normal lifeforms yet indiscriminately attack Humans and Faunus alike is… unusual."

"How so, professor?" Velvet wanted to hear more, it seemed.

"The fact that Grimm attack Humans and Faunus with the intent to kill speaks to an unnatural disliking for us. The Grimm have never shown anything other than hostile dispositions and all attempts to pacify, befriend, or otherwise placate them have always resulted in failure. This leads me to believe that the Grimm were created by something… or someone who has an intense hatred of Humans and Faunus."

"But… who would hate the living so much?" Fox was having a hard time processing this. "I mean, sure there's always a bad egg in the bunch, but surely we're all not worth being hated."

"Hatred has led people to do illogical things." Shockwave understood this emotional all-too well. "It can lead to obsessions that are durable and unwavering."

Ominous words for an ominous subject matter. What sort of person would hate the living so much that they would be willing to burn it all down? What sort of malice drove a person like that? What intent perpetuated them forward? Were they even worth understanding? Such a perspective was so alien compared to the mindset of everyone in the world.

Another period of silence followed as they all crawled their way through the civilian sector of the settlement. The government sector was still a ways off, and there might be more Grimm there than there were in this sector. The resistance was surprisingly low for some reason, which was suspicious. Grimm did show up, albeit in small packs, but nothing too dangerous for four hunters in training and a veteran warrior. The ended up expended less combat-related resources as a result.

"The government sector was one of the first places in the settlement to be functional." Shockwave pointed with his cannon arm. "See those structures in the distance? They were meant to house all personnel that worked in the sector."

"That's a lot of buildings." Coco lowered his shades to get a better look. "Weird that none of this information got onto the public records."

"The Kingdom of Vale deemed intimate information regarding the expansion to be confidential." The former Decepticon elaborated. "They did not wish for hope to be too high."

"And it would seem their belief was not unfounded." Yatsuhashi muttered sadly. "It's a shame that this didn't come to fruition."

"That being said, it's an opportunity to learn." Velvet adjusted her backpack. "Mistakes need to be explored so that history doesn't repeat itself."

"There's another thing that's been bugging me." Fox interjected. "If this is an ideal place for bad guys to set up camp, why haven't there been any attempts since the evacuation of the settlement?"

"The Grimm were too many in number." Shockwave touched the ground to check for dust. "See here? Although it is worn, there are traces of Grimm tracks and dust as well. There was a lot of struggle before the abandonment."

As their professor kneeled down to observe the ground for clues, Team CFVY gathered around him to see exactly what he was getting at. They were sure that Professor Port had once told them about how to track Grimm using the environment, but that had probably been lost in one of his many spiels. This was more relevant not to mention easier to follow. On the ground, there were faint traces of something unnatural to the soil. At first glance, there wasn't anything to note. A closer look revealed some black ashes, worn with time, but still visible. More clearly seen were tracks of Grimm who walked on the ground. These were more recent, probably by several days.

"It looks like something's been here in the past day or two." Velvet studied the ground. "Something fairly big."

"It looks like an Ursa Major." Coco observed further. "But these marks here look like the work of a Death Stalker."

"We should keep moving." Shockwave stood up and checked his surroundings. "Out in the open, it will be much more difficult."

"Could there be any airborne Grimm?" Fox looked in the sky. "Not that it's easy to see any signs of them."

"The chances of a Nevermore being in this area are slim." The scientist said. "Griffon are more likely to appear due to their adaptable nature. More importantly, we have reached our objective."

All heads looked to the remnants of a sign, worn but still legible. It bore the insignia of the Kingdom of Vale, and its words were easy enough to read.

 **NOW ENTERING THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR**

"Time is precious. Let us make haste."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **PRIORITY MESSAGE FROM OZPIN TO SHAEL WATSON**

 _Let me start this message off by saying that what I'm about to tell you is highly secretive information. Our successful operation depends on all our members keeping this information in the shadows. As I have understood it, Glynda has told me that, if given a logical reason, then you will not hesitate to reveal information to those you feel need to know. It is your right to do so, but consider carefully the consequences if you choose to do so._

 _But getting back to the main point of this informative video, what I'm about to share pertains to the origins of the Grimm and the enemy that we are fighting. Originally, Remnant had two Gods. One of the Light, and One of the Darkness. The former spent His days creating life of all kinds and the latter spent His nights destroying what his brother created by conjuring destruction. The two brother clashed until the Brother of Light propositioned a shared creationed with the Brother of Darkness. With a new mutual goal, the two of them created their masterpiece, something with the ability to create and destroy, given the ability to obtain and retain knowledge about itself and the world around it, and to use that knowledge to decide on which path to follow. That is Mankind's origins._

 _The Grimm were the creation of the Brother of Darkness, and they were created with his same malicious intent, the intent to destroy everything and everyone with no reason, no purpose, and no goals. Just pure unadulterated hatred._

 _Furthermore, Mankind was left with four relics, physical manifestations of gifts that the Gods gave before abandoning this world. They are Creation, Choice, Destruction, and Knowledge. Each Relic is locked within a chamber and the huntsman academies were built over these chambers. Additionally, only a specific Maiden can access a specific relic. Winter can access Creation, Spring can access Knowledge, Summer can access Destruction, and Fall can access Choice. If an individual were to obtain all of these relics, then they would be able to shape this world in whatever way they deemed fit._

 _And the person that seeks that power is Salem, a witch shrouded in mystery. Who she is and her past doesn't matter right now. All that matters is stopping her, whatever the cost. Her hatred for Mankind as the Faunus is eternal, and she will stop at nothing to see our world reduced to ashes, and she controls the Grimm, which makes her all the more dangerous._

 _If you can deliver the promises that you say, then the tide of this war will be turned and we may yet have a chance to stop the greatest threat of the living at the heart. However, should you ever harbor thoughts of joining Salem, know that she will only see you as a pawn in her master plan. She cares not for people, only herself and her goals. If you ally with her, you will only live so long as you can be useful to her._

* * *

 **Apologies for the late chapter. I apparently have new life priorities that have sapped up more of my time, so there's no telling when the next chapter will be posted.**

 **This chapter was mainly to set up some events for next chapter as well as foreshadow the future. Although Shockwave hasn't viewed any of the contents of Ozpin's video, showing you, the readers, what's in the video can give you some ideas as to what our favorite Decepticon will do with the information. The conclusions he'll come to are many.**

 **Also, if you find any grammar errors, that's my doing. I was kind of impatient and just wanted to upload, but I hope to get around to them ASAP.**

 **So what did you guys think of this chapter? Let me know with a review. As always, feedback is greatly appreciated regardless of what you think about this chapter.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.**

 _ **"It does not matter how slow you go as long as you do not**_ **stop."**

 **Confucious**


	10. Bonding is Logical

Chapter 10: Bonding is Logical

 **Mountain Glenn**

As with the rest of the Mountain Glenn settlement, the Government sector looked worn down, but unlike the civilian sector, the structures were complete and still intact despite the wear that was abundantly clear. Chances were that anything valuable in the entire settlement would be found here, and presumably in decent shape.

With Shockwave leading the way and Team CFVY trailing behind him cautiously, they all made their way through the streets, which had also suffered from lack of maintenance and use by the Grimm most likely. None of them were on-edge, merely alert, preparing for the Grimm to attack while beginning to search for what they came here to find.

When they rounded a cornered and moved onto what appeared to be a main street, the scientist held his hand up to indicate that they halt. His scanners were picking up traces of operating technology; it seemed like security measures were still fully functional. The evacuation of the settlement had to be done in quite the rush of they couldn't even bother to deal with leftover tech.

"Some turrets are still operating within the area." Shockwave told his students. "One moment while I bring them offline."

"You can remotely hack technological devices?" Velvet's face showed interest in this prospect.

"Yes, although I am using my own internal technologies to do so." The former Decepticon answered her question. "Alternatively, hacking is feasible with a scroll and the proper application."

"What are turrets still doing operating?" Coco checked her own minigun while listening. "Wouldn't it be better to pack this stuff up and send it back to Vale. This stuff isn't exactly cheap."

"Logically, that would make sense." Shockwave talked while performing his hacking maneuver. "But Mountain Glenn was evacuated quickly due to a sudden influx of Grimm during development, hence why so much was left unattended and left behind."

Another moment passed, which was followed by the hijacking of all turrets within their local vicinity of 250 meters.

"Still, retrieving valuable equipment should have been a priority." Velvet chimed in with her thoughts. "Why abandon it all?"

"With the influx of Grimm combined with recent public morale, returning would not be logical by any stretch of the imagination." Shockwave elaborated further as they walked along. "For now, as dated as the guns may be, they will be useful to us, but that will come later."

The disguised Cybertronian took out his scroll and began to observe their map all the while trying to pinpoint their location. First, he observed the streets and then quickly scanned the map. It took him the span of a few seconds to do all of this, and he highlighted their current position with a red blinking dot, which he then sent to the scrolls of Team CFVY.

"Your scrolls should be updated every time I update the map." Shockwave pointed out.

"Huh, fancy that." Coco pulled up the map on her scroll. "Guys, check the map, make sure you've got a bearing on our location."

While the teenagers became acquainted with their positioning, the scientist began doing a more thorough examination of the map. Although not having a way to precisely map out the area around them, his own internal equipment would constantly feed him new information regarding terrain, buildings, and other sites of worth. This place might be a ruin, but it was a valuable one all the same.

It reminded him of looking at Cybertron post-war. Such a barren and lifeless place was so illogical to him. Planets like Cybertron and Remnant were meant to be filled with some form of sentient life.

It was this thought that Shockwave recalled that despite Cybertron's lifelessness, he had many laboratories scattered throughout the planet. With the planet abandoned, he was free to salvage whatever other resources remained to serve the Decepticons. Even with a lack of energon being generated from the core, there was still more than enough leftover energon for a single bot to survive many cycles.

 _I should consider setting up offsite research laboratories. They could provide me a means to conduct my studies and experiments unimpeded._

Although Ozpin might condone his research to a high degree, there was no telling if a moralistic person stumbled upon his work and complicated matters. The logical thing to do in that event would be to ensure the silence of the witness, either by death or by buying their loyalty. In terms of the former, it was simple, but a person going missing raised questions whilst the latter was more flexible. All people could be bought. Either through force or by one's own will, everyone had something they valued.

Shockwave noted that the sky was beginning to darken. They would have to find a place to get some rest for the night. Although he did not feel any fatigue from this new body of his, he wanted to pace himself in order to learn what his logical limits were. Willpower was a very potent thing indeed, but in the end, all things had to follow the rules set by the properties and laws of the universe. He would rather not find out his limits during the course of an intense battle, but during periods of calm. Additionally, his four charges would probably agree a few hours of rest was called for.

"We should settle down for the night." Shockwave pointed his cannon arm towards the largest building in the distance. "That's the main building in the sector. We will be able to stay there for the night."

"Oh, yeah. Would you look at that?" Coco squinted her eyes. "It is getting dark. Do we need additional defenses while we rest up?"

"We will repurpose two turrets to guard the main entrance and one person will stay on guard." Shockwave explained his thought process. "Grimm do roam these areas, but as long as we do not cause a stir, there's little reason to panic."

"You're the boss, teach." Coco turned to her team. "You all get that?"

"Yes." Velvet nodded.

"Roger that." Fox chimed in.

"Affirmative." Yatsuhashi confirmed.

Encounters with Grimm became less frequent as security began to tighten. As it turned out, there were a multitude of defenses that were in place to deal with intruders and Grimm. As expected a sector meant to house government workers, identification became something of a problem. At first, it was a simple matter of bypassing via a hack and then they all kept going forward. That worked until they reached the main building of the government sector. Then it was determined that hacking would take far too much time to be logical. Shockwave fashioned an ID for himself and for Team CFVY. It included a hand print, eye scanner, and full-body scan. Granted, it took a bit of time, but now they had access to all parts of this sector. They would be recognized as friendlies.

The top floor afforded a view of the streets below along with a few windows for a lookout. As they had planned out, two turrets had been brought back with the help of Yatsuhashi. Reprogramming was a cinch for the former Decepticon. A young Cybertronian could have easily done this job. Frankly, it was strange that weapons were this easy to get a hold of. It made him initially suspicious, but his systems showed nothing that would otherwise indicate that any of the weapons were bugged or rigged in any way.

Thankfully, because there was still power, albeit not much power, they were able to use a few leftover cooking necessities left behind in the kitchen. Prepping food was probably going to be the easiest thing on this mission.

Shockwave found Remnant's food to unique and varied. There were so many possibilities with the edible things on this world. Some preferred health, others taste. To his logical mind, he preferred simply taking in the nutritions that would give his body the greatest energy output and the least wasteful expenditures. As long as he ate a certain way and provided he could get the proper rest, he could maintain his ideal physique indefinitely.

The students had huddled into a little circle and begun to chat about small topics, nothing that he cared to listen to. They appeared so calm and collected despite being in the middle of a dangerous place. It was a hidden expectation that all huntsmen and huntresses in training needed to have a significant degree of control over their emotions. Like soldiers, they were going to be sent into battle zones, places that had no place for the weak-willed. Although having not seen a true image of their combat abilities, Team CFVY was at least mentally sound in this place. However, their mettle hadn't been tested in an especially grating and pressuring environment, so maybe his assessment was too hasty.

For now, he would consider them to be competent. They did handle the lesser Grimm species efficiently. Their methods of attack suggested a bit less dramatic flair and a bit more practicality, something that developed in all huntsmen and huntresses as they gained more experience and training, but it would be naive to say they had been purged of the desire to look good in battle. Coco's words earlier came back to his mind.

 _It's called being a badass._

 _No matter how much these children think they are in control, they have yet to experience the true nature of strife, the nature of war, the nature of plague of all sentient life._ Shockwave's attention was solely on the teenagers. _Whether they will be ready to face that reality is dependent upon many factors._

While he was no leader and he certainly wasn't meant to inspire like Lord Megatron did, the Faunus man had to concede that emotions were powerful things. While he still believed in science over all else, ignoring emotions was also precarious. He had seen the Autobots and Decepticons fight with fervent belief in their causes. He would never know what that felt like personally, but he did understand.

 _If I am to fight for Faunus and Humans, then perhaps I am better-served to condition them in a way that makes use of their emotions._

A plan began to be defined within the Ex-Con's mind. Ozpin and Beacon's staff were the main roadblock in his idea to shape the young up-and-coming defenders of the world.

* * *

 **RWBY - - - Transformers**

* * *

"Hey, Shockwave, come join us." Coco called out to her teacher.

"Coco!" Velvet scolded her leader. "That's our professor you're addressing. Be a little respectful."

"If any of you wish to call me by that designation, then you may." The man moved from his position near the room exit. "I will not object. Whatever suits each of you better."

"Thanks, teach." Coco gestured to an empty spot in their circle. "So, do you want to join us?"

The professor took the invitation with not a moment of thought or hesitation. He seated himself on one of the chairs. "Was there something I was needed for?"

"O-oh, nothing serious." Velvet fidgeted a bit, trying to string together words. "It's just that we were… curious?"

"About?" Professor Watson metal ears twitched ever-so slightly.

"We were curious if you had any stories to speak of." Yatsuhashi became the brave soul to ask what they were all wondering about. "We're always curious about stories from others."

It was true that the four of them were all interested in hearing a story from their overseer, but it wasn't necessarily true that they were interested in listening to everyone's stories. One certain professor came to mind when it came to stories that were like nails against a chalkboard. Even Velvet had to admit that those were overinflated to insane degrees. Their new science professor, on the hand, just was brimming was possibility. That conversation in the bullhead had only further reinforced that notion.

"I suppose I could tell a tale or two." Their elder's answer was plainly stated, "Although if you are looking for entertainment value, I cannot guarantee that."

"I think we'll like it." Coco wasn't phased by the warning. "I've just got a good feeling."

"...very well then." Professor Shockwave almost sounded like he wanted to remark about something else. "This tale is very obscure tale, one that is exclusive to where I came from."

Everyone huddled closer. If this was a novel tale, it was exciting. Like anything that was rare, it was precious in some manner.

"Before time began, there was the being known as the One. The One was alone in the vast expanses of the universe, so in order to explore it's depths, the One created the being known as Unicron. Unicron embodied three basic concepts reality, that of chaos, destruction, and death. The One then subdivided Unicron and created his twin brother, designated Primus. Primus also embodied three basic concepts of reality: order, creation, and life.

"So they were polar opposites." Coco summed up the tale in one short go. "If they're that opposite, they couldn't have been friendly for long, even if they were twins."

"Correct, Miss Adel. Because Primus and Unicron represented different aspects of reality, they naturally came to clash with each other, and being that the two of them were deities, their power struggle lasted for eons. While Unicron was smaller than Primus, he was Primus's superior in combat. Meanwhile, Primus was Unicron's superior in cunning. Having advantages and disadvantages against each other, they constantly shifted from the physical to the non-physical world at will in order to determine who would control the universe and beyond. Primus eventually trapped Unicron within a metallic planet, hoping that his brother would remain trapped."

"But if they're both gods, then surely it wouldn't have been an end to the fight." Fox pointed out. "It's just too convenient."

"No, it would not last. Unicron eventually learned to shape his own metal prison, thus he learned how to shape his own physical form, becoming the planet that had once been his prison. Primus followed suit, giving himself a metallic planet form. Their war escalated when Unicron shaped his planet form into a massive robot and Primus imitated."

"Planets transforming into giant robots?" Velvet's imagination couldn't even begin to fathom that concept. "It sounds like something out of science fiction."

"Quite, but moving on, Primus adapted the idea of sentient robotic organism by creating what he called The Thirteen, also known as the Primes. These were his first original creations of life, born in response to the escilating conflict between himself and Unicron.

"The first was Prima, the leader of the Thirteen, who was the first created by Primus. He was said to have wielded the Star Saber, the most powerful sword in existence. It was him that led the Thirteen to victory against Unicron. He was aptly named the warrior of light.

"Vector Prime was the appointed keeper of time and space. As long as he existed, time and space would exist. He could travel through many dimensions and universes at will, wielded the Sword of Time. His existence was necessary for the future of the universe.

"Solus Prime was the only female of The Thirteen as well as the sole weapons-smith. It was she who crafted the weapons of her fellow Primes. She held The Forge, an artifact said to be able to create anything from raw material.

"Micronus Prime was the smallest of the Thirteen, called a Minicon, but he wielded the Chimera Stone, which enhanced the abilities of The Thirteen. He was considered more as a tactical individual rather than a strategic one.

"Alchemist Prime was known as The Elemental, and his role was to establish the line between the supernatural powers and practical sciences. He possessed the Eye, an artifact which allowed him to see all the components of anything in the universe.

"Nexus Prime was a combiner, a being whose consciousness was split across five other individual robots. Each of his parts could also operate as separate entities, allowing him flexibility in ways the other Primes could not act.

"Onyx Prime was the one who embraced a more animalistic side by having a beast form as his alternate mode. He was also to see into the more supernatural aspects of the universe with the Triptych Mask, things that the Primes could not see.

"Liege Maximo, the Manipulator, was the counterbalance to his brother Prima. He was considered the ultimate form of evil. It was he who tried to overthrow his brothers and sister, but he ultimately failed as was cast out for his betrayal."

The story paused for a moment as they all took in what they had heard. While this was just a tale to them, their teacher spoke of it like it was something that was real and tangible. In that sense, it made the story more interesting to listen to. Compared to some other stories of Remnant's past, this one contained at least some form of logic and sense while also be very hard to believe. It sounded cool all the same.

"You said there were thirteen Primes." Yatsuhashi spoke up after a minute. "What about the other five?"

A pause, then a continuation.

"Megatronus Prime was called the warrior of darkness. He attained that title after accidentally murdering Solus Prime, his beloved. It was this act that made him decide to become a servant to Unicron."

"He became a servant to Unicron because he murdered his love?" Coco felt really confused and somewhat annoyed at that. "Isn't that a bit selfish?"

"It is not really known why Megatronus chose the way he did, but he was a traitor to the Primes, like Liege Maximo."

"Okay then." Coco just couldn't accept that logic for some reason. "Sorry, please go on."

"Alpha Trion was the recorder of history and ancient knowledge. Using the Quill, he recorded the battle between Primus and Unicron as well as the Thirteen's involvement. All of the knowledge was contained within the Covenant of Primus.

"Amalgamous Prime was a shapeshifter, able to transform into anything and anyone flawlessly. It was he who learned to transform himself into an alternate, which the Primes then adopted into their own makeup.

"Quintus Prime was a scientist whose duty was to create new life that would evolve. Unfortunately, his many creations surpassed him, which eventually culminate into their betrayal and his death."

There was another moment of quiet, but this time, they were all listening intently. The story's abrupt halt felt strange for some reason, like there was a hesitation.

"That was twelve right?" Fox brokered.

"Yes, I counted twelve." Velvet acknowledged. "What about the final Prime?"

"...the final of the Thirteen was Optimus Prime. He was known as the Visionary, and it was him who inspired his fellow Primes to rise up together against Unicron despite their differences under the words 'Till all are one.'"

"We could use a person like that right now." Fox now sounded sad. "Humans and Faunus working together would be the best way to fight the Grimm."

"That would be nice." Velvet nodded in agreement.

"So did the Primes win?" Coco asked the question, but she had a feeling what was going to happen.

"They did, and they cast Unicron and Megatronus Prime into a black hole. Then came the civil war between the Primes. The Thirteen were created to be perfect, but Unicron had implanted the negative aspects of himself into their being, this creating imperfect beings who now fought each other.

"The civil war came to end, which resulted in some deaths and the remaining survivors scattering. With the battle over, Primus entered a state of sleep so that Unicron would not be able to detect him. That is the tale."

"Wait, what?" Coco wasn't satisfied. "What happened after that? Who survived? What did the Primes do? Surely they didn't just retire. What about Primus?"

"That is a story saved for another time." Shockwave concluded with a wave of his hands. "What came after is bit more complicated. The story I was trying to tell was that of the birth of the universe?"

"But didn't you say it was a story?" Yatsuhashi questioned. "You sound like you believe the story."

"All stories originate from somewhere. Therefore, all stories have some grain of truth." Professor Watson answered. "Do I believe all the details? No, I do not."

The sky had darkened, and amazingly enough, there were still street lights operational. They were very faint, but they did give off enough light so that the Humans within the group could see outside.

"I will take first watch." The Faunus man got up from his seat. "I will need two volunteers to take a second and third shift."

"I can take second shift." Velvet volunteered almost instantly.

"I'll go third." Coco said next.

* * *

 **Transformers - - - RWBY**

* * *

With some isolation at his disposal. Shockwave now had the time to watch the video sent to him by Ozpin. It didn't take him long to process what he was hearing, but the implications behind what he heard were… suspicious.

Two gods that mirrored Primus and Unicron? That could not have been sheer coincidence. The only problem he could find was the difference between the older and younger brother. According to Ozpin, the god of light was the older one while the god of dark was the younger. That was the opposite in the case of Unicron and Primus, in which the latter was older than the former.

 _Still, does that detail really matter in the grand scheme?_ Shockwave did a light pace back and forth. _Two gods representing opposite concepts of reality._

Was it entirely possible that Primus and Unicron had come together, even for the briefest of times, to create Mankind? And what of the Faunus? Where did they come into the equation if they were not created alongside Man? Could he even trust this information to be accurate? He might be a part of Ozpin's inner circle, but that did not mean everyone was on affable terms. The more likely case was that this was a leap of faith and a test.

 _If this information is true, then Ozpin is taking a leap of faith in trusting me, hoping that I will deliver._ The Ex-Con took a breath. _It is a desperate move, but one that could yield successful results._

When he had delivered the tale of Primus and Unicron, it was a story that could have been told by any Cybertronian. All inhabitants of Cybertron knew their creator to be Primus as well as known that Unicron was bad news. There was physical evidence to show that they had a creator. The Allspark was the proof, and so was the very core of Cybertron itself. Meanwhile, he had to take Ozpin's word that these god brothers were real without any tangible proof.

One saving grace was the nature of Ozpin's message. The way the entire story was phrase indicated that this story was very obscure, or if it was popular it was considered nothing more than a legend, a tale. This in no way verified the validity of the story itself, but because it did not seem to be a highly-recognized story. That would leave less risks in terms of potential eavesdropper.

 _Then again, I have seen magic, something that should not exist at all._ Thoughts of Amber and her powers came back. _If magic can exist, it might be possible for these gods to exist, however infinitesimal the chances._

No matter how he thought about it, his opinion was neither here nor there. He had more pressing things to think about. While he was indeed on lookout for Grimm, he was compiling all of his scans of their path to structure a map. The data he had originally collected had given a rough map, but now he could see all the alleys, smaller routes, and other lesser-known pathways in the government sector. It would take too much time to try and search every single street, so for the remainder of the mission, they would stick to the main roads.

While he was at it, Shockwave took the liberty of collecting the technology from city hall. All of it was stamped with a seal from Merlot Industries. It was well-designed and built to last years and even decades into the future. The minimal wear and tear was to be expected from equipment having not been properly attended to for some time, but all of it it was in remarkable shape internally and externally, and it was unlikely that anyone had come through these parts in recent memory. It was doubtful that Vale even intended to come back to one of its greatest failings if the kingdom could help it. It was safe to think that there were no bugs, viruses, or malware that would cause harm to him, not that any software could harm his systems. He could tear apart this world's malicious software in his recharge cycle.

Deciding that it would be okay to leave his students unattended for a few minutes, he slipped out as silently as a phantom, his coat tails making only the faintest of sounds. With a clear destination in-mind, he made a beeline for the center of the building, the most secure location in this place. He had noticed a metal door while he and Team CFVY had made their way upstairs. If this was where he thought it was, then he would find a server room containing data.

Navigating the halls while keeping engaging his night vision, he paced himself carefully so that any trace of himself would be minimal, only visible to an extremely trained sense or senses. There was no reason for him to go the extra mile and move like an infiltrator within enemy territory, not really, but he still did it.

"Any traps that may have been placed are moot at this point." Shockwave murmured some words to himself. "They cannot compare to Cybertronian traps."

The average Cybertronian was vastly superior to the average Human or Faunus both physically and mentally. The fact that they the people of Remnant were unable to escape their own planet told him exactly where they were in the stage of evolution. They were still in a primitive state, fighting each other rather than uniting under a single banner or symbol. Discrimination, prejudices, conflict, all of them were so petty. On Cybertron, an individual was judged based on character, skills, and abilities. Well, at least if one existed within the upper castes. Shockwave recalled his time within the scientific caste. His life had always been about science. Anything and everything that could advance science was something he would always be a part of.

It took just a few more minutes of travel to reach the logical place of a server room or data center. Predictably, it was sealed off by a heavy door. Amazingly, identification systems were still in-place. If anyone that wasn't authorized tried to enter, alarms would sound according to his systems. It was fortunate that he had entered his own personal data into the entire network, so he followed the instructions to the letter, and with an affirmative green light, he was granted access.

The first sound he heard were fans and whirling all around him. It looked like this was some sort of supercomputer, probably something on a lesser scale than that within the kingdoms. Such highly-advanced pieces of equipment were costly to build and tacking on the costs of maintenance and the brainpower needed to operate such a machine made operations tricky. If it was not fulfilling a very important purpose, then there would not be one to begin with. That reasoning led to a problem.

"Why leave this equipment here?" Shockwave's suspicion began to rise. "Has someone… been here before?"

Needing to confirm this fact, the scientist quickly scanned his surroundings until he found what he needed: a central terminal. Inputting his login information, he began to search through the history of the entire system. He was disappointed to find that there was no evidence to suggest that a person had come into this place, or to be more accurate, there was no evidence to indicate that a person was using this place physically. His eye and optic turned up to see a camera looking at him, and it was actively recording him. If someone was watching on the other hand, they would have to be dispatched.

 _But assuming someone is using this place, who could it be?_ Shockwave ran a number of variables through his brain. _All the contractors involved with construction have no reason to come back. The risks versus reward is just not worth it. Merlot Industries has been dead since the Grimm invaded. Huntsmen only come here to do occasional surveillance. Pirates and bandits stand to gain little._

The more he thought about it, the less it made sense. Out of all possible groups and people that could possibly have an inkling of incentive to come here and use this place, none of them made place with the exception being Merlot Industries.

"Merlot Industries." Shockwave reconsidered the company. "Doctor Merlot was presumed dead along with his work, but as the evacuation of Mountain Glenn was the more pressing issue, there was no confirmation of his death."

The dead had ways of resurfacing in the most unusual ways. It wasn't unusual for a person to be dead only to be returned to life. It was not a literal rebirth from death, but rather a cover-up that was the classical method. It was the only logical course of action, yet it was illogical at the same time. There was no reason for Merlot to fake his death unless he was in need of privacy to perform something. In this case, that would mean that he would have been performing experiments that were unethical to society's standards. That, or he was merely a disliked person. Both were also likely.

Shockwave began to search through any and all files related to Merlot Industries. The results from the search proved to be quite the bounty. Files of all types were listed under the company's name. Video logs, documents, blueprints, notes, studies, dissertations, hypotheses, theories, anything and everything that a scientist had in his possession that related to his work.

The discrepancies began when the main goal shifted from technological advances to Grimm studies. All the documented research about the Grimm was so extensive that it was borderline obsessive. It was like Merlot had become entranced by the Grimm. There were mentions of the unnatural beasts being the superior species to Faunus and Humans, an idea which caused a rare bout of emotion in the Decepticon.

"Calling the Grimm superior to Humans and Faunus is illogical." Shockwave shook his head in sheer amazement. "No, illogical is much too generous of a word to describe this hypothesis. Stupid is more fitting."

* * *

 **It's been a while and I apologize. A flurry of things just came my way combined with my wavering consistency and discipline just made getting this out kind of tough, but I did it and I'm happy with the chapter.**

 **So Shockwave discovers another scientist who possibly could be something of a nuisance for the mission. As I wrote for Shockwave, I was drawing some inspiration from the IDW characterization; the comic does a masterful job of making you truly terrified of him. In my mind, I took the chilling voice of David Sobolov's Shockwave combined with the IDW characterization to frame what sort of Decepticon mad scientist I want to portray.**

 **In other news, I released a new story, the Bringer of Hope, which features Primus in a staring role. If you're interested in that sort of thing, please check it out. It's a real prototype and I'd appreciate any feedback that I can get.**

 **So what do you guys think? Leave a review and let me know how you think things are going and where things will go. Any feedback or ideas are appreciated.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter.**

 ** _"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at."_**

 **Stephen Hawking**

 **(Jan 08, 1942 - Mar 14, 2018)**

 **'Till all are one!**


	11. Creativity is Logical

Chapter 11: Creativity is Logical

 **Mountain Glenn**

Velvet yawned a bit, her eyelids feeling droopy. Her shift for watch was almost over. In ten minutes, she would go and wake up her fellow teammates and her professor. They had a lot of work ahead of them. They had made considerable headway yesterday in their mission. Despite encountering some reasonable Grimm resistance, they were well-stocked, so ammunition and other supplies weren't lacking. Still, it would do them good to use only what they needed.

But logistics aside, it was an interesting mission to say the least. Usually, Team CFVY opted to stick to missions that were within the City of Vale. Coco, on more than one occasion, had expressed dislike going farther away from her resident clothing and accessory shops. Missions that took place within the city were conveniently located for her, and it would be unusual if their missions didn't occasionally end up with a few detours. To see her willing take this kind of mission was a welcome change of pace, although quite a surprising one. Sure, the reward was quite handsome, but the rabbit Faunus got the feeling that there was a bit more to it than what the team was getting out of this.

The sun had already risen, but wasn't fully in the sky yet. The orange that it cast across the landscape was remarkable. It seemed able to cast a sort of beauty to everything that it touched, even to the ravaged and abandoned Mountain Glenn settlement. The shapes and shadows that she could see with her eyes were plentiful. It was a sight that she never got tired of seeing. In a world full of monsters and creatures that sought to kill Humans and Faunus, beauty was a hard thing to find and keep, and though this might not be the ideal version of beauty, it still was something worth trying to treasure.

She straightened herself up from her sitting position at the table she was sitting at. She then reached across the table and grabbed her coffee, which was no doubt cold at this point, but she drank it anyway. The feeling of a cold drink would wake her up in addition to the caffeine that her systems would take in. After taking a swig, she swirled the contents of the cup in a small circle, watching the liquid make a mini tornado at the center. Once it had settled, she did it again, this time trying to see how fast she could make the eye in the center and how fast she could make it go. She did this for another minute until she checked her scroll again. She was still a few minutes away from waking everyone up.

"Good morning, Miss Scarlatina." Professor Shockwave's voice spoke softly, but still in his even tone.

"G-good morning, Professor Watson." Velvet barely kept herself from squeaking in surprise. "I was about to wake everyone up."

"Let them rest while there still is time." He answered her. "I actually have something I wish to ask you."

"O-oh." Velvet wasn't expecting this, but still complied. "Of course, sir. What do you want to talk about?"

"As an individual of science, I am always searching for any sort of research that is both intriguing and revolutionary." Her senior looked at her pointedly. "All the other professors speak highly of you, particularly a certain project you have been working on."

"Oh, you mean my weapon." Velvet realized what he was getting at. "It's only in the developmental stages, nothing that I can demonstrate personally right now."

"Regardless, I wished to hear about it from your perspective." He regarded her. "I wish to know more, if you are willing."

Well, this wasn't the conversation she was expecting, but she wasn't one to turn a person down, especially one that might be able to help her with her project. It was selfish, she knew, but from what little she could make of her professor, he was a clever one. His little black hole demonstration yesterday had proven that much. He might just be a genius, and if that was the case, then she could use a bit of that brainpower to give her input. She liked to think that she was good at what she did, but she was far from an expert.

"Of course." Velvet answered after a moment. "I'd be glad to get feedback if possible."

"Then could you begin with how you intend to construct this device. From what teachers have told me, it is shaping up to be perhaps one of the most ambitious weapon projects in years at Beacon Academy."

Velvet collected her thoughts to try and articulate her work. There weren't many that could really keep up with the level of work that went into her chosen weapon. Thankfully, Coco was able to keep up, albeit with some difficulty, seeing as her weapon was the closest to being complex in nature.

"I plan to use all the primary dust crystals available and combine them into a formula that will allow me construction of almost all weapons." Velvet recalled every shred of information for her project. "Not all dust crystals will be used at once. Different combinations will be used, all of them calling upon a focusing lense that will shape and solidify into the form of the weapon meant to be replicated.

"The final solid weapon would have to be strong enough to be used as a weapon, but still be able to be held by me. I am currently working on a means to keep the dust active yet still able to be held. The field I am working with currently needs to be adjusted before the idea can even be called viable.

"I also need to consider energy output and usage. While in theory any weapon can be copied, each weapon will require a different output. That will become problematic if I am in a fight where more powerful weapons will be used frequently. Also, once a weapon has been used, I will need to record the weapon again to have access to it."

That was the basic rundown. She didn't want to bore her teacher by telling him things that he probably already knew, so she gave what she hoped was a detailed-enough explanation so that he could get the information that he needed and nothing more. His expression did not change nor did his eyes give off any indicator as to what he was thinking about. The only thing she could do was wait nervously.

"The weapon itself is quite novel." He began after only a few moments. "That being said, your entire premise revolves around mimicry itself. Am I to assume that your semblance is related somehow?"

"Yes, sir." Velvet answered quickly. "My semblance allows me to replicate the physical movements of others, but I can't copy semblances or abilities related to semblances."

"That would explain your fighting style. You rely upon martial arts, and you will continue to do so even after your weapon is finished construction, am I correct?"

"Yes professor."

He was getting to a point, she could feel it, but she wasn't sure what he was leading up to; she felt more anxious than before. The anticipation was building quite a bit, and knowing that she had absolutely no idea what was going on only made all the more excited, yet the fear inside her didn't leave.

"Although I cannot provide you with a weapon upgrade as this mission dictates, I can provide you will ideas relating to your weapon and your aura. Does my proposition sound like something you wish to incorporate?"

"Certainly." Velvet nodded her head eagerly.

"Then listen closely." Professor Watson pulled out a holographic projector and began his explanation. "As you know, aura is the physical manifestation of the soul, and all souls have differences in them. Morality, experiences, memories, genetic composition and makeup, personality, all of these things ultimately make up our souls. Are you following?"

"Perfectly." She nodded.

"Then consider this: how you perceive a weapon with your soul may actually end up affecting its overall performance. A scythe is considered one of the most dangerous weapons in the world when in the hands of a proper wielder, but that may not be so if the wielder is not in tune with their weapon. By reversing our logic, perception can be used to enhance the weapon that we hold."

"I've… never thought of it that way." Velvet paused as she processed. "Such a simple way of looking at combat, yet it's never crossed my mind."

"Your weapon is built for adaptability, the same mentality that you practice in combat." Her senior proceeded pull up a schematic. "Having knowledge in all forms is useful, but mastery of a few or even one discipline can be more dangerous than being skilled in many different disciplines. By adjusting your way of wielding, you can put your own unique methods into combat."

"But how would I go about incorporating this into my design?"

"I will need a detailed explanation of your semblance to give you the proper advice."

"My semblance…"

* * *

 **RWBY - - - Transformers**

* * *

By the time that the rest of Team CFVY had awoken, Shockwave had made considerable headway in discussing with Velvet how to improve not only her own weapon but her own fighting capabilities. She would have to test them out in live combat in order to ascertain their effectiveness, but as his own thought process dictated, everything he had told her thus far was completely logical.

The morning routine was pretty typical one for anyone. They ate, showered, and checked and rechecked their ammunition and supplies.

"Before we leave, there is something that we must take from this place." Shockwave informed his charges. "There is a server room not too far from here. It contains software as well as the location of various useful technologies that we will need to salvage."

"Does all this speed up the mission?" Coco inquired while adjusting her purse.

"We will be able to accelerate our time table by obtaining these components." The scientist used his scroll to show a detailed map. "With this in mind, we will need to split up and hunt individually. Are there any objections?"

"None here, teach." Coco shook her head.

"No, professor." Yatsuhashi replied.

"Negative." Fox said.

"We can do it." Velvet confidently proclaimed.

"Then each of you will choose a location and device to secure." Shockwave highlighted locations where they would need to be. "Be advised, these locations are spread out enough that in the event of Grimm overrunning any location, help will take time to arrive."

"We'll need to maintain constant contact then." Coco entered into the conversation with a thought. "How about a report-in every ten minutes or so?"

"Agreed." Velvet chimed in.

"Smart." Fox was next.

"A good course of action." Yatsuhashi shared.

Shockwave was satisfied for now. "Then choose your locations and the technology that pertains to them. Once your destination has been chosen, I will need all of you to assist in setting up a designated loading zone. We will create a perimeter with turrets where the bullhead can land and this is will become our own self-made safe zone."

While obtaining these components would be critical in building to their ultimate objective, there was also another reason to do this. Unknown to all of Team CFVY, he would be tracking them via concealed mobile cameras. They would follow the students, tracking every iota of information, however trivial. Plus, he would also have all of their vitals and lifesigns on his scroll. Professor Ozpin did say that any mission he went on with students gave him free reign to assess and grade accordingly. Although not for their grade per say, how each of them performed would ultimately make the resulting rewards all the more better or worse.

With the details of their plan finalized, everyone took off, confirming scroll synchronization and testing their coms. With no problems on anyone's end, everyone set out to secure their objective. They would be spending all day doing this, and each objective would take anywhere from half an hour to a full hour, and this was accounting for terrain, predicted Grimm activity, and the nature of each objective.

Shockwave himself was tasked with retrieving the data from the computers in the government sector, then destroying the data once he had his own copy. He had deduced that this place being online in any capacity couldn't have been mere coincidence or simply leftover technology that hadn't been properly deactivated. Someone had to have been here, someone with prior knowledge of this place and its inner workings.

After returning to the computer server room, he began to work at the terminal. He tapped away at the keyboard, not really giving too much thought to his work. Eons of working in a lab had given him an instinct for working with tech with such efficiency that few were able to rival let alone surpass. The first thing he did was go through an access log of the data in the room. If he could find the latest date of access, then he would have an idea of how outdated the tech was in comparison to modern tech. Both hardware and software would be taken into account; it would be essential to the next step of his part.

When he first accessed the log, he went through a rather long list of login dates and times, which dated back to the formation of Mountain Glenn. This was to be expected, as was the frequent logins by the same people. That had been roughly two decades ago by all accounts, and it was nothing surprising.

Shockwave continued to peruse through the log, finding something that was an anomaly. Normally, the logins should have had a cutoff date, a day that all access simply ceased. Mountain Glenn was abandoned, so common logic told him that there should have been no other time that a person used this place. What he found was that there were still signs of a login and signs of usage. It wasn't unheard of for tech to still have power after years of abandonment, especially in regards to highly-durable-tech, but this…

 _Someone has been here._ There could be no doubt about it in the scientist's mind. _But who would need or want this?_

This certainty proved to be problematic; if there was indeed someone who could interfere in this mission, even if only peripherally, the results could be off from the intended path. While perfection wasn't expected for this mission, getting as close to perfection as possible would be more logical than not.

Shockwave would have continued to work had his motion sensor not pinged, informing him of incoming hostiles. The only thing that would makes sense were Grimm seeing that this place was devoid of life, but it was strange to see Grimm, if that's what they were, acting in a way that was more befitting of a strategizing human or faunus, but there was an even more pressing question: why attack him now?

The Cybertronian-Faunus transformed his prosthetic arm into his HyperFlux cannon and moved through the hallways to confront the threat. The first attacker that came his way was Beowolf, but not one that he had ever seen before. Unlike standard Beowolves, this one had some new additions to it, giving it an alien-green glow. Grimm weren't natural to begin with, but this was clearly the product of experimentation, but who would be able to pull something like this off? Certainly no ordinary scientist would even consider this, not when such experimentation would be considered illegal or immoral to most.

Shockwave fired a suppressed shot from his cannon, a taste to see if his weapon was working. The blast hit its mark, but the Beowolf appeared to be trying to get past the pain and tried to hit him. Using his cannon arm, he met the strength of the Grimm before smashing it with an aura-powered first, then a direct shot in the mouth with more power, enough to have its head explode into chunks.

He then deftly fired and killed another lone normal Beowolf. His own motion sensor detected movement behind him and he was instantly upon the next target. The new larger-than-average Beowolf snapped its jaws at him, which prompted him to grab the upper and lower jaw with both hands.

For a moment, it was a contest of physical strength. Although he hadn't got intimately familiar with the jaw power of what was usually seen in Beowolves, the scientist knew that this one was greater than even an increased his own strength against the modified Grimm until he used enough strength snap its jaws from its head before punching a hole through its skull. A Creeper then tried to strike him from the front, a move that proved ineffective as it meet his robotic arm that swatted the annoyance away casually before being blasted. Another attempted an ambush attack, which failed due to the fact that aura was protecting him. A stomp to the neck silenced the minor distraction.

Shockwave surveyed his surroundings. The rest of the Grimm were now somewhat in question. Like with his first encounter with them, they teetered on the edge of his personal bubble. A moment ago, they hadn't hesitated to attack him, but now they seemed indecisive as to what action they should take. Then an epiphany came to him: since the Grimm were reliant upon emotions and feelings, specifically negative emotions, since he was in control of his emotions and had evolved to the point of being all but emotionless, the Grimm weren't so quick to attack him, yet at the same time, his body was that of a Faunus, thus the trained instinct to hunt down the living still kicked in.

 _Those modified Grimm must have some semblance of control over normal Grimm._ Shockwave deduced. _Therefore, it is logical to assume that they came here with the intent to kill under the orders of another._

"Shockwave to Team CFVY." The Cybertronian-Faunus hybrid keyed into his com unit. "Be advised, contact has been made with modified Grimm. Be on the lookout for Grimm with glowing green."

 _"...come again, teach?"_ Coco responded. _"Grimm with glowing green parts?"_

* * *

 **Transformers - - - RWBY**

* * *

 _"Affirmative."_ Professor Watson's response came quickly. _"Modified Grimm with glowing green parts. They are impossible to miss."_

Coco checked her scroll for any signs of dings or bangs. Of course it was disrespectful to doubt a teacher of Beacon Academy, but the thought of modified Grimm was sort of far out. No Human or Faunus alive and with any trace of sanity would dare to touch Grimm in a non-aggressive way let alone try to research them and make them better.

 _"I am sighting Grimm with the Professor's description now!"_ It would seem Yatsuhashi had made contact. _"I am moving to engage!"_

Coco listened to the sounds of dozens of growls calling for her deaths. Her head spun around to find find a pack of Beowolves surrounding her, three actually, and it looked like her professor wasn't kidding.

"Whoa there, you ugly mofos." Coco transformed her handbag into its chaingun mode. "Stay the hell away from me!"

Normally, her weapon would be more than enough to shred a Nevermore into two with no effort. This time though, while her bullets did damage the Beowolves surrounding her, they weren't an instant knockout. The leader of Team CFVY grit her teeth slightly, surprised a little bit by their resistance.

"So I'm playing with the big boys now." Coco said as she ceased fire. "Well then, step on up! Let's go a couple rounds!"

Coco swung her gun around, smacking one of the monsters upside the head. She barely had enough time to twist her body and narrowly evade a swipe at her head. She backpedalled on her dominant foot, firing a few rounds as she did so. The Beowolves tried to shield themselves with their own arms. This display of defensiveness coming from what would be considered a lower-tier Grimm was surprising.

"Guess it's time to play more strategically." Coco readied herself to charge. "Okay, here comes the thunder!"

The fashionista held her weapon in front of her, charged her aura, then dashed forward with a sudden burst of speed. All the while, she unleashed another hail of bullets. The mutant Grimm took the shots head on and charged themselves. When both parties were within physical striking distance, both were quick to be the first to draw blood. It was only by a fraction of a second that Coco was able to get the upper edge. She bent her waist so that the paw would go over her, missing her by mere centimeters. She followed up by smashing the barrel against the side of the Beowolf's head, the force of the blow enough to send it sliding to the ground. She dashed forward to smash her heel into the back of its neck.

Coco had a brief moment to check herself. Her ammunition was plenty and her aura was currently at 91 percent. She was good for now. Satisfied that she was still in good shape, she prepared herself.

She failed to see the Beowolf attacking her until it was too late. If not for her aura, he face would no doubt be sporting some deep claw gashes. Grunting in pain and staggering back, Coco reoriented herself, then stopped.

There was a scratch on her glasses, on her left lense.

"Bad move, buddy." Coco said menacingly.

She would settle the score, then keep searching for the thing she came for.

* * *

 **RWBY - - - Transformers**

* * *

Yatsuhashi held his blade, one hand on the pommel and the other on the flat of the blade, engaging in a pushing battle with the mutated green Grimm that the professor had warned about. These monstrosities were leagues stronger than their standard counterparts. Even alphas were small fish compared to this thing, and Team CFVY had been enough missions to know what was big and what was small.

"This thing is strong." Yatsuhashi said to himself, even if he could be heard. "But I'm stronger!"

His aura powered his entire body, giving him a boost to his already impressive strength, and pushing his opponent back before he swung in a wide arc. The Beowolf raised its arms to block, yet the force of the blade and its sharpness were enough to cleave off its forearm and paws. Yatsu then split its head clean in half, almost with perfect symmetry.

According to the map that he had looked over, he was looking for what seemed to be a sort of prototype power generator. On the surface, it was nothing special; it was powered by conventional dust crystals, but what was unusual was that the notes claimed that depending upon what sort of crystal used, the power output would be altered. Also, different crystal combinations were viable as well, and they too produced differing power options. By the standards of modern power technology, this was a novel concept, and really convenient.

Yatsu realized that he was no longer surrounded by Grimm. It was just him and a desolate land of decrepit and deteriorating buildings. His nerves weren't often rattled, but even the second-year huntsman in training had to admit that this wasn't a place he wished to stay in for long. The silence in the air was heavy. With his greatsword at the ready, he moved forward with purpose, now very alert.

This section of the Government sector was less packed with residential buildings and more functional facilities. Up ahead of him, there was a communications tower, no doubt a means to connect to the CCTS system. Also within eyesight was a barrak, no doubt for police and military personnel. As important as these facilities were, they weren't what he had come for. His target just a little bit ahead.

And in the distance, there it was. A very clear sign was up ahead, and it was Merlot Industries. Back in its heyday, the company had been known for cutting edge technologies and innovative breakthroughs. When Mountain Glenn had fallen through, the company lost everything practically overnight when Doctor Merlot had died. Almost all of its assets were seized by shareholders as well as the Vale council. The name Merlot was practically non-existent now; finding anyone who actually knew about the name was hard. Even if this was very recent history, it played more like a legend than history.

Yatsu stopped when his ears picked up something strange. He could have sworn that he heard machinery whirling. He was sure that he hadn't been hearing things, and although it was plausible to believe that some technology could still be running, it was also just as likely that they had run out of power.

"Something's not right." Yatsu mumbled.

* * *

 **Transformers - - - RWBY**

* * *

Fox hid behind a large rock contemplating his next move. The item he was to retrieve was in his sight. He would have already gone and taken what he was asked to take if not for the problems in his way. From his position, he could see androids blocking his path, but unlike mechs found in the Atlas Armed Forces, these ones were much larger and they were all equipped with close-quarters weapons. They stood still and at attention.

"Fox reporting in." Fox spoke softly into his scroll. "I've located my target, but it's being blocked off by android guardians."

 _"What?"_ Coco asked in surprise while still fighting. _"Mechs? Out here? Something's not right."_

 _"Yatsuhashi here."_ The sound of combat mixed with his voice. _"I am also currently engaging mechs."_

 _"Velvet reporting in."_ The bunny faunus sounded. _"I've got my item. I'm moving to the rendezvous point now."_

 _"Understood."_ Professor Watson replied back, a cannon blast being heard as well. _"Fight to kill, but if a more simple solution presents itself, take it. We will waste more time in prolonged fights._

"Got it." Fox acknowledged quietly. "Fox out."

Well, it wasn't like he wanted a fight to begin with, but he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to get to his objective without at least engaging briefly. The real problem was that he didn't know what these mechs were programmed with. A basic mech wasn't anything to be worried, but these things screamed dangerous. Their stiff and at-attention posture didn't help matters.

Fox looked at his scroll again, seeing another minute tick off the clock. He couldn't really waste any more time strategizing. He could be flanked if he didn't make a move soon. He'd have to go in and make decisions on the fly. Having made up his mind, he flipped over the rock and brandished his weapons. The mechs immediately moved to defend their position. His first response was to strike swiftly. The mechs held their staffs, holding fast to their positions. Once he had made his move, the closest mech made a move as well. A vertical strike, then a horizontal one. The moves were executed with robotic precision, and despite being a bit predictable, they were fast.

Fox fell back a bit, making sure not to backpedal into anything. He waited for another opening, choosing to parry and deflect rather than dodge and weave. Staffs had the advantages of range, but it also came with it a weakness. If not handled properly, a staff could be a hindrance in close quarters. A momentary opening was all it took for the junior huntsman to seize his chance, putting a burst of speed into his step and slicing and hacking at the chest of one of the mechs. It wasn't enough to take it down, but it was enough to damage it, forcing the machine to retreat. The remaining units moved into a semi-circle formation, likely trying to attempt a pincer maneuver, but to do that, he needed to be completely unaware of their intended positioning.

It wasn't that easily getting the slip on him.

* * *

 **RWBY - - - Transformers**

* * *

Velvet expertly dodged, flipped, weaved, ducked, and evaded the near-constant strikes aimed at her. Even with her level of skill, training, and experience, she was being hard-pressed to not get hit by either the mutated Grimm or the white mechs with chain guns. At this rate, this was going to run out of aura. Even having taken out at least half of the initial enemy count, she was pushing herself.

The bunny faunus swiped her legs in a wide arc, using infused aura to trip an Ursa. With the monster down, she delivered some fists to its head, enough to crack its white mask. She then dropped to the ground, so that he head wouldn't be taken out by flying bullets. Thanks to the chain gun of the mechs, some of the bullets hit the Grimm instead, taking out an enemy for her. Knowing that her cover was going to be gone, she weaved to her left, taking cover behind a crate with the symbol of Merlot Industries. Not for the first time, she wished that her weapon was complete so she could finish this fight quickly. That irrelevant thought lasted but a second. She blasted from her cover, aiming for a mech. The machine took aim, but before it pulled the trigger, she flipped over it, landing squarely on the back of its neck. Without considering her actions, she reached her right hand into the crack in its neck and grabbed. Just as she had hoped, there were wires and cables. All she had to do was pull with a bit of aura, ripping the precious connection. With that, the mech was effectively blind.

Velvet than did a backflip off just as a Beowolf swiped at the air where she had been, unintentionally decapitating the mech. Using the distraction, the girl used a little trick courtesy of Professor Port, aiming for a strike to neck as gravity carried her through the rest of her descent to the ground. The Grimm collapsed to the ground. Realizing that the now deactivated mech's chain gun was lying nearby, she dove for it. Testing out its weight, she quickly found the trigger and fired a torrent of fire into the down monster.

"Man, this thing is heavy." The sophomore huntress commented. "This makes Coco's weapon seem like a tiny pistol."

In spite of the weapon's terrible balance and handling in her possession, it was still useful, a fact which was further proven as Velvet moved the weapon to her seven o'clock, pulling the trigger and unleashed more suppressive fire. She didn't expect to hit much at farther ranges, but it was enough to put some dents and bangs here and there.

"Sorry to steal your moves, Coco." Velvet said with a bit of a sigh. "But I can't use this thing with my own skills."

Calling upon her semblance, she began to utilize what she had observed from her team leader. Then taking control of her liberated weapon, she went from struggling to use the minigun to wielding it like a pro.

Just a few more enemies to take down.

* * *

 **Transformers - - - RWBY**

* * *

Shockwave regarded his now dead enemies with mild interest. Whatever had been done to these Grimm, he was now intrigued. To be able to experiment on these flawed creatures was something of a rarity in this world. How was anyone supposed to contain that which meant to kill people with souls?

 _It does not matter now._ The scientist refrained from derailing his train of thought. _The objective now is to establish a forward base of operations, not to study specimens of Grimm. That can be tabled for a later time._

Because the fight had been taken away from the data center, Shockwave had established a wireless connection from the servers to his own memory databases so that he could continue to download information. He knew that the fight was merely an attempt to get his attention away from obtaining information, and he would not fall for that trick. When his adversary realized that data was being downloaded, they had tried to block him. To combat this, the former decepticon erected a smart firewall to prevent anyone other than himself from remoting into the system. When the hack had failed, the attacker than tried to unleash a virus, to which Shockwave responded with his own countervirus.

 _This adversary is significantly more intelligent than the average human and faunus._ Shockwave thought to himself. _Yet this intelligence only applies academically speaking._

Reading all of the best information in the world was all well and good, but information without application or real-world value might as well be just useless information. Whoever was trying to kill himself and Team CFVY was no battle strategist or tactician. The most he had seen from this little skirmish were basic military tactics and strategies, all of which could be easily discernible through common sense.

Officially, Shockwave was the de facto leader of the Decepticons in all things scientific, but even with his specializations, he always was kept abreast of all things relating to the war. If Megatron were to fall in battle, then he would logically be the best-suited successor as leader of the Decepticons. As his own logic concluded, being a potential leader for the Decepticons meant being well-versed in warfare. That gave him something of an advantage over simple soldiers and warriors, something that the enemy clearly did not have.

Perhaps the only smart thing that the puppet master had done was erase all the data banks of the mechs sent in the attack. The parts were not even worth collecting and studying. There were better models and more sophisticated fighting systems. The only thing worth doing was taking a few pictures and collecting some data. He might not be able to directly trace these mechs back to the source, but he could cross-reference the parts and figure out where they came from and where they were shipped to.

Shockwave had determined that in the end, it was a waste of time and resources, a completely illogical and unnecessary. The only thing he would be losing was time, and he had plenty of that.

* * *

 **This chapter has been on the back burner for some time, and I apologize for that. I know now where I'm going with this, and I think you guys will like the results of this little journey. Just remember that all things scientific are of interest to Shockwave, even things like Grimm experimentation. He might assess them as weak, but that just means that there is potential for growth and betterment.**

 **Team CFVY's dynamic with Shockwave is also a work in progress. That first section with Velvet was a taste of what to expect in the coming chapters. I think I get something out of all the team, so stick around for that.**

 **So what do you guys think? To be logical or to not be logical? That is the question.**

 **Oh, and if anyone catches grammar problems or anything else weird, let me know. I posted this rather quick and with little time to beta-read.**

 **As always, thanks for reading.**

 _ **"A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard word."**_

 **Colin Powell**


	12. Being Badass is Logical

Chapter 12: Being Badass is Logical

 **Mountain Glenn**

Shockwave held his arm out just in time for a mutated Beowolf to bite on. The teeth didn't even so much as make a scratch on the metal of his arm. He then used his organic arm to rip an eye out of the creature's head before shoving the tip of his Hyperflux Cannon into the gaping hole and blowing its head off. That was the last opponent in his area, that much he could confirm after surveying the scattered remains of Grimm dust and robot parts. These opponents were becoming less challenging and more predictable as he fought more of them. Certainly these Grimm were more dangerous than their more 'natural' counterparts and the mechs were combat-ready, but their behaviors and patterns were easily discernible. Ultimately the real thing to watch out for was his own energy usage, which wasn't a concern at all.

More importantly than the attackers were their nature. Experimenting with the Grimm could be considered logical and illogical.

It could be considered logical to experiment with the Grimm in the sense that in order to defeat the enemy, knowing the enemy was key. What better way to understand the enemy than to experiment with all the physical aspects? Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats could all be assessed through experimentation, information critical to the job of a huntsman.

On the other hand, it could be considered illogical in the sense that Grimm paled in comparison to the living. Grimm were little more than wild animals with an unexplainable desire to kill Humans and Faunus. It took hundreds of years for Grimm to develop any sort of intelligence that could match humans or faunus and even then, it was used for the sole reason of killing the living and nothing more.

Shockwave collected some robotic parts and technological sample wherever he could for future analysis. He still held a mixed picture of the Grimm; he needed more data to have a more conclusive way to deal with the black monsters. It was fortuitous that Team CFVY were elsewhere attending to their respective parts of the mission lest they question what he was doing, not that he cared what they thought about him or his behavior. It was merely more convenient if the mission continued on with less friction and more cohesion.

Once he had what he needed, he proceeded to make his way to the rendezvous point agreed upon. Mountain Glenn itself was far too problematic to establish a base of operations. A permanent base was needed somewhere outside the city perimeter, close enough to be traversable by foot but not close enough for the Grimm to be attacking in droves constantly. That was part of the reason why Shockwave had combed through the databases: to find a location that could serve as that base of operations. He was prepared for many different scenarios when he read through the full map, even for the ideal scenarios that had were highly unlikely, but still it would appear fortune favored him.

Mountain Glenn was a failure, that much even the average person could speak about, but nobody really knew the reason or reasons why. The general public just assumed it was a result of Grimm attacking in massive numbers, too many for even skilled and experienced huntsmen to hold back. While that assumption was not wrong, it did not provide the full story as to the breach of the mountain settlement.

The layout of the city told a much different story, one that involved what would have eventually become the outer wall that would be the first line of defense against the Grimm. Before the abandonment of Mountail Glenn, construction was being focused on building a highly resistant wall that would surround the settlement, preventing land Grimm from invading and the wall would also sport anti-air defenses to combat flight-capable species like the Nevermores. It all sounded logical, but for some reason, construction on the wall was slow, and by the time the Grimm came through, the walls were not even able to slow the Grimm much less stop them from entering.

That much Shockwave was able to deduce from what he had discovered in the databanks, but what had his attention were the parts of the wall that were complete. The plan was to have towers lining the wall every so often. The fortress-like walls were never finished, but it was a different story for one of the towers. One tower had already been completed and still stood, worn with time and a lack of proper maintenance, but still durable and functional. That would be a perfect place to establish a base of operations.

After making this discovery, the former Decepticon make a decision to make this tower their new rendezvous point. He had relayed this new development to all of his students and they had acknowledged his order and were moving to adjust their routes. He had included a brief explanation of why the sudden change and for the most part, everyone understood and agreed with his decision. That was somewhat unexpected though; he anticipated a bit more resistance. Perhaps the transition from freshman into sophomore meant more tempered emotions in students. No matter the reason, it meant less potential conflict.

The sun had reached its peak point in the sky, illuminating the world around Shockwave with much color. Looking at the world through a human-like eye gave him something of a new perspective, a new way to look at the world, therefore giving him a new way to understand the world. His Cybertronian sight was a much different beast entirely, providing him with superior eyesight and options when it came to learning about his environment. His organic eye was basic, inferior, and in almost every way, pointless when compared to his Cybertronian optic. Still, it was his tool and useless or not, this organic eye was part of him now, so he would use it for all that it was worth.

Grimm were currently on the move now, and not the mutated ones either. It appeared that unchanged specimens were located outside the city more, separated from the ones experimented on.

The concentration of non-mutated Grimm could only mean one thing: there was a higher concentration of negative emotions. They certainly weren't coming from him, which meant that likely it was Team CFVY who were closing in on his coordinates. That was good. They were making good time. By his own calculations, they would be here within fifteen minutes or so. Everything was still ahead of schedule.

Shockwave began his own preparations.

* * *

 **RWBY - - - Transformers**

* * *

Team CFVY had finally managed to reunite after slowly making their way to the new rendezvous point. It wasn't in the plan to meet each other like this, but now that they had, they were making greater progress to reaching their professor. They had recently been notified of the increase of hostiles coming their way and they were to make haste and try not to get too bogged down in fighting the sheer numbers coming at them.

"I thought Mountain Glenn was abandoned!" Fox shouted as he cut down another Beowolf. "What part of this is abandoned!?"

"It was abandoned by the Kingdom of Vale!" Coco continued unleashing a torrent of bullets as she replied. "Not the Grimm!"

"Then what about these mechs?!" Velvet took down another Grimm while chiming in. "Surely, there weren't abandoned here too!"

"There are too many here!" Yatsu slashed and killed three at once. "It's far too suspicious to be anything but natural!"

All of them were getting the same uneasy feeling, but it wasn't like they had any concrete evidence to back up anything they were saying, only a gut feeling and some intuition and their own eyes, which may or may not be reliable. The most pressing matter was that they were fighting a fierce firefight, thus any thoughts they had concerning what was really going on was second to surviving and finishing this mission.

The four of them had gathered their components as requested, but when comparing and contrasting their respective pieces briefly, none of them could really figure out what their professor was going for. A power generator, a military multi-functional turret, a long-range communicator that doubled as a radar scanner, and a shielding unit. This didn't sound like how anyone would set up a base here. Though their time with Professor Watson was brief, there was no doubt in any of their minds that the man was not simple in any way, but no way was that stuff enough to defend an entire base.

"Look, over there!" Velvet called out and pointed. "That's our destination."

All four teenagers could see a tower, which clearly stood out in context to the natural environment of the mountain. Maybe they would be able to catch a break for once. They might be the top class in their year, but they were still only students, not fully-fledged huntsmen and huntresses.

"Um, guys?" Fox gestured in the direction opposite of the tower.

An echo of roars reached all of their eyes, all of them too many to count individually, but also accompanying the sound of the roars was the sound of a massive hoard of enemies closing in on them. At first, there appeared to be tiny dots in the distance moving towards them. Then as the picture became more clear, it was clear that their situation had devolved into utter madness. There were too many for them to take on all at once. Four teenagers against what appeared to be an endless hoard of foes, all rearing for action.

"CFVY, fall back!" Coco shouted against her natural instinct. "Get to the tower!"

The next few minutes became a dangerous game of cat and mouse. The only thing left to do was run like the wind and hope that their parkour skills would be enough to get them through the terrain that combined the decaying settlement with the resurging wilderness. None of them possessed a ranged weapon that could be used while on the run. The chain gun-wielding leader knew better than to try and use her weapon while running with the enemy at her back. She would undoubtedly stumble and most likely trip, forcing her team to pick her up or leave her behind.

The four of them scattered when gunfire tried to strike them in the back. The took care not to stray too far from each other. When it came to dealing with high-risk environments like this one, none of them dared to break off from the team. With such a high-volume of enemies, even the slightest mistake could result in some really dire situations and death was the last thing that the team needed.

Yatsuhashi brought his greatsword to bear, using it to batter aside debris in his way. Fox slid onto his back to get through a narrow gap between an uprooted tree and the ground. Velvet leaped and elegantly dove into an opening. Coco activated her weapon, using her weapon as a stepping ladder to jump over some random obstacle, making sure to not let go of her gun. The settlement extended farther than any of them realized. Sure, they had studied the maps and had guessed the magnitude of the settlement, but now having to run through it gave them the proper perspective that they were lacking.

A few shots rang out that came from the direction that the four of them were running towards. They could only spare a glance as the shots were perfectly placed, turning Grimm into ashes before their bodies could disintegrate themselves. Four sets of eyes trailed the shots back to their origin point. From the top floor of the tower, it appeared that their teacher had taken up a firing position and was proceeding to snipe enemies from a distance. Even the mechs didn't fare well against the shots.

"Just a little further!" Coco egged her friends on. "Almost there!"

That brief second of checking the status of Coco checking on her team had her drawing her attention away from danger. Thus, the fashion diva was too late to dodge the grenade aimed at her. She was only able to watch it as he entered her vision and slammed against her. The explosion and the force behind it caused her to trip and fall. Coco skidded a few meters before coming to a stop, coughing up dirt and debris.

Yatsu was the first to respond. Bringing up his greatsword, he held himself in front of his team leader. Using his aura, he began to create waves of kinetic force to push the charging Grimm back. Velvet came in next, helping her fellow huntress up. Fox provided additional cover along with Yatsu.

* * *

 **Transformers - - - RWBY**

* * *

Shockwave took note of when Team CFVY stumbled and that's when he moved into more direct action. Having to explain student deaths to Ozpin would be problematic, so he needed to cover as much ground as possible and get to them before they were overrun. They were definitely going to die if he did not step in, even if their teamwork was adequate.

WIth his students about to reach him, the scientist charged his HyperFlux Cannon again, taking aim even while moving towards the enemy and fired another salvo. As expected, his shots hit their marks and killed instantly. He then wasted no time in running at full speed, steamrolling any Grimm that got in the way. and for the first time, Team CFVY saw him and were quick to stick to his sides. Once they were at his side, Shockwave fired again.

"Professor!" Velvet and Coco called to him, the former carrying both her item and her leader's item.

Yatsu and Fox, still acting as shields, heard what was going on behind them and moved to pull back while not letting up in their defenses.

From that point on, it was a slow battle back to the tower with numerous enemies converging from seemingly out of nowhere. Coco's aura had taken a hit, but fortunately, there was no damage to any part of her body. The same could not be said for the shades that she was wearing, or rather that she was no longer wearing. Her fall caused them to slide off and break into several pieces. She had to leave it behind.

"I take it back!" Coco growled as she kept pace with everyone. "I don't like these things at all!"

"Coco, now is not the time!" Velvet replied back sternly, which was unusual for her. "We can get a new pair for you later!"

"I'd rather they not be broken period!" Coco evaded being hit in the back by a hair as she complained. "That's money wasted!"

"Not now, you two!" Yatsuhashi yelled at them.

Shockwave chose to ignore their pointless bickering. While he could certainly do without such nonsensical chatter, trying to stop them would be a pointless waste of energy. He would let them vent out their frustrations and that would get them back to normal. Biologically speaking, anger could only be sustained for so long before the brain turned apathetic, so he would not worry about it for now. Logically speaking, it was easier for certain emotions to be expressed so that they did not surface in any unhealthy way later on. Better for these teenagers to take out any misgivings on the enemy than someone else.

"Professor!" Velvet exclaimed as they moved. "Do you have a plan to deal with this horde?!"

"Naturally." Shockwave raised his voice only enough to be heard. "The plan is already in motion."

All of them were visible perplexed by his words. He expected such a reaction; quite frankly, they didn't know about a lot of things and why should they? He had given them the details of the mission to be sure, but he certainly did not tell them everything. He needed them focused on their duties here.

Shockwave's eye and optic told him that his trap had already been triggered. Around the perimeter, he had placed tiny motion sensors that were combined with some tricky lighting dust rounds. They were simple things to fashion and they were his first use of dust in live combat. They acted like landmines, causing enemies that tripped them to be electrocuted enough to render them unable to continue further. Against normal Grimm and mechs, it would have likely destroyed their bodies, but since these were more advanced foes, the most that could be expected was a lengthy paralysis, which was decent.

Furthermore, the bodies of the now-defunct combatants would serve as roadblocks the more piled up. He made sure to strategically place mines in a way that would make bodies liked up in ways that would at the very least impeded progress. It would not hold them all back forever, but just a little time was all that was needed. Their enemy was not a simple bloodthirsty manic. Given enough resistance, it was plausible that their enemy might consider pulling out simply because it would be easier.

Shockwave pinged his motion radar to find that more enemies were getting left behind, more than his calculations had predicted. That immediately got his attention because by all accounts, they were surrounded and had their backs against the wall. To leave the battlefield with such a decisive advantage suggested that the mastermind had something much more dangerous in mind.

"Stop." Shockwave ordered the four teenagers.

They all obeyed and looked back, confusion etched on their faces. They must be realizing what he had already realized. That only made them even more edgy.

* * *

 **RWBY - - - Transformers**

* * *

Team CFVY rested at the entrance to the tower while their professor had taken the pieces of tech they had each retrieved and got to work on his part. From this point forward, he had given them one simple thing to do: protect the tower at all costs. Since he would be the only one performing more technical work, he would not be assisting them in any capacity. With this in mind, all of them kept an eye out for danger while regaining some of their energy. About two hours had passed without much activity.

They knew something was coming and left them with very twitchy fingers. They weren't dealing with a typical search and destroy quest. This went way beyond anything they had ever done before. They were pushing their limits to get the most out of their skills and who knew when more bad luck would follow them. Coco had gotten lucky with a minor dent in aura. More serious injuries could follow. The mission was not complete yet and until it was, anything was possible. The fact that the professor wasn't the least bit tired or phased by this level of combat made it very clear they had much to learn.

"I didn't sign up for this." Coco groaned really loudly. "Dammit, I knew this was gonna be tough, but not like this."

"We knew that mission would increase in difficulty when we became sophomores." Velvet appeased, but didn't look any better. "We should've known that."

"I get the logic, Velvet, but hearing the words and experiencing them are two different things." Fox made his point clear. "And it's only gonna get tougher come junior and senior year."

"Which is all the more reason to rededicate ourselves to training." Yatsuhashi, leaning against the outside of the tower, said. "And also retool our minds so that we don't get complacent."

The sound of the wilderness around them did nothing to quell their warrior instincts. Camping out in hostile territory was never a fun time no matter how many enemies there were or how difficult they were to take down. The reality was that they all could die at any time in the line of duty, the ultimate way to go down. Of course none of them would go down without a fight. They would be dishonoring the title of huntsman if they did.

"So what do you think the professor's doing?" Fox addressed the elephant in the room. "I've really got no idea what's he's even doing."

"I would like to know that myself." Velvet joined in. "Those components don't really have any relevance to each other."

"Perhaps not to us, but I have heard that brilliant minds have a way of approaching problems that most people fail to understand." Yatsu offered his own opinion. "Our professor is nothing if not knowledgeable."

"That's putting it lightly." Velvet's eyes began to sparkle. "The man is brilliant when it comes to dust theory and weapons technology. He gave me the best advice on completing my weapon. I might even be able to deploy it as soon as the start of the school year!"

"Whoa, really?" Coco's head whipped to the rabbit faunus. "He's that good?"

"He's better than good." Velvet said. "He's a genius among geniuses."

"Hmm, so our teach's got brains and brawns." Coca grinned eagerly. "Not to mention those looks."

Velvet immediately moved to stop any further implications. "Coco, it's not appropriate to think about our professor like that."

"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport." Coco waved the her friend off. "C'mon, you can't say that he's not appealing."

"T-that's besides the point!" Velvet nearly maintained her composure save for the tint on her cheeks. "We're students and he's a teacher. It's improper and it's wrong."

"What are they talking about now?" Fox tried to wrap his head around what was going on. "I thought they were talking about the professor."

"They still are." Yatsuhashi replied somewhat awkwardly. "It's just different now."

"Right." Fox didn't really want to talk about it. "So, about what the professor is doing with those parts, what do you think?"

"I honestly don't know." Yatsu shrugged his shoulders. "It's really anyone's guess. It could be something really amazing. It could be something really simple. I don't have a clue."

"Yeah, I've got no idea either." Fox couldn't add anything else.

The two boys looked up at the tower while the girls continued on with their own chat. The breeze felt cool against their skin, which helped them considering the four of them had worked up a sweat. No doubt when they all got home, a shower and some new clothes were in order. That might just be another battle itself consider the unexpected stress that was resulting from this job.

Being a huntsman was anything but an easy job contrary to what a normal person thought. It was hard work fighting the most dangerous threat in the world on a regular basis. Not only that, but huntsmen were expected to also be involved in government affairs, mercenary work, and other high-risk high-reward careers. There was a reason why Beacon Academy was highly selective. If being able to fight was the only thing that mattered, the acceptance rate would have doubled or even tripled, but even if that were the case, the acceptance rate would still be low.

Jobs like these were probably going to be run of the mill for all of them in the future. Most likely in the future, they would be expected to do a job like this solo and get out without so much as a scratch. That was how badass they needed to be when the time came and they were struggling with all four of them right here. They could only imagine what Professor Goodwitch had in store for combat training. The woman was nothing if not cold and blunt when it came to training her students. It was hard to make a good impression on the experienced huntress let alone impress her.

Fox felt his senses telling himself something. He looked to the woods and his body tensed up. "Heads up, guys. We've got company."

Team CFVY resumed attack formation.

* * *

 **Transformers - - - RWBY**

* * *

Shockwave already knew that something was coming long before the battle had even begun, but he ignored it for just a while longer and continued on with his work. He couldn't afford to be distracted by the fighting. A lot of future events were riding on the outcome of what he did here.

One of the first things he did with the tech components that the four students had acquired was to reconfigure them so that they couldn't be used by anyone other than himself and those that he deemed trustworthy. Since he didn't have the proper tools or equipment to fix or upgrade the parts, he focused on what he could accomplish here: upgrading the primitive operating systems that all of this technology utilized.

Although his entire neural functions had been converted, he still retained his memories and his processing power as a Cybertronian. Thus, he still carried the data to a personalized and custom-built operating system that he had complete domain over. This would not only prevent anyone else from controlling what the scientist built, but it would also allow him to make use of the same technology at his own pace. Considering that dust was a universal energy source on Remnant, it gave way to some very creative ideas.

Shockwave already had figured out exactly what he needed to do. As he had said before, setting up an isolated base of operations was the number one priority. In order to make this goal a reality, he needed to turn this place into an impregnable tower fortress, an easy thing to do now that he had all the information he needed regarding Grimm and these mechs. All he had to do was input his own personal data into the system generator and when the thing lit up around the tower, it would instantly recognize and react to anything that had programmed into the system. That included Grimm, unchanged and mutated as well as these mechs.

The main question was how long was the shield unit going to last. Maximizing the damage output when enemies made contact with the shield would be a major drain on dust power. Yes, enemies would be downed quickly if they didn't disengage, but for every enemy that decided to melt themselves into oblivion trying to get through the shield would significantly drain power. It was a gamble ultimately and failing now would be problematic considering that as a teacher, he had a duty to ensure that his charges returned home alive and sane. It was logical to succeed and illogical to fail.

With two hands, working was much easier. With one hand, he was carefully coding the shield unit and the power generator to work in tandem. The configurations needed to be precise and specific otherwise any number of technical issues could arise. There was nobody in this world that had even the mental capacity to process this kind of coding, hence why Team CFVY was out on guard duty.

And speaking of the enemy, Shockwave tilted his head to take a look at the radar scanner he had set up and put aside. He had only taken a few sparing glances at the device to check for enemy movements, but until now, there had been nothing of note. Then, the radar pinged a massive enemy heading their way. He doubled checked again to make sure he was not manfunctioning. That took a microsecond and by that point, he had reconfirmed what was already apparently clear.

There was a window nearby where he was working, so the former Decepticon stood up and opened the window to take a gander outside. What he saw were structures and the landscape collapsing as something really massive came towards them. He could make out what looked like two massive pincers and a long tail. It took him no time at all to realize what exactly was coming to kill them.

It was a mutated Deathstalker.

Now this was something that the shield would not be able to kill with the current power that the generator had, meaning that it was time to take matters into his own hands.

"Shockwave to Team CFVY." The scientist accessed his communications link. "Large enemy approaching from the north."

 _"We see it."_ Coco's voice sounded in acknowledgement. _"Moving to intercept now."_

"Negative." Shockwave countered her. "Take up defensive positions. Await further instructions."

 _"But…"_ The chain-gun wielder paused for a moment before rescinding her previous words. _"Understood. Going on defense."_

Shockwave transformed his robotic arm into his familiar HyperFlux Cannon and began to charge it. With much haste, he climbed the remaining stairs to the very top of the tower. Once there, he took a moment to survey the fall below. It was not a massive height from where he was standing to the ground. He had fallen down much higher heights back on Cybertron. This would not be a strain on his body in the least, even as weak as his body was now.

All he needed to do was to calculate the time it would take for the massive Grimm to arrive at the tower. He would then factor the numbers in for his own landing. Add onto the ever-growing energy with his weapon and he would be able to finish this fight in the calculated time.

The Deathstalker emerged from the forest with a clear intent to destroy. Shockwave did not even consider any sort of emotion. The only thing guiding his hand now was pure and cold logic. Channelling aura into his body he leaped from the tower the ascent gave him quite a bit of elevation before he reached his peak height. Once done, the Cybertronian-Faunus hybrid pointed his HyperFlux Cannon into the sky and fired. Normally, this would be considered not only illogical but idiotic to waste a shot, but the shot was not meant to kill the enemy. It was intended to accelerate the speed of the descent to maddening levels. A blur was all that was visible for all but a second.

Shockwave felt his body slamming into the body of the Deathstalker at breakneck speeds. His weight combined with the momentum he achieved was enough to bring even the gargantuan black monster down to the ground in a single move. Once the creature was down on its stomach, the scientist proceed to fire at its core from point blank range.

He fired once.

Then twice.

A third time.

Four shots

Five.

Each shot was not wasted as a gaping hole was created through the hulking beast until the last calculated shot made contact with the ground. By this point, the scorpion Grimm was already dead and its body was reduced to black mist and once again, the area was silent.

Shockwave processed his trainees coming out from cover to gaze at him with awe and respect.

Yes, awe and respect were logical.

"The enemy is down." Shockwave began walking back to the tower. "Resume guard duty until further notice."

Working was even more logical.

* * *

 **This chapter more or less concludes the arc with Team CFVY. The intent was to get across that there is a new professor in town and although he might be an intellectual at his core, he ain't no pushover. If he wants to do something, he'll do it.**

 **The next few chapters will begin establishing more relationships as well as setting the groundwork for the events of V1 to kick off. Expect some really interesting things to keep happening going forward. It will also tie up loose ends from this chapter as well.**

 **So what did you guys thinks of the chapter? Let me know in a review and also feedback for future chapters as well as ideas are always fun to read about.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading.**

 _ **"Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of**_ **people."**

 **Steve Jobs**


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